Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy
by Prasino45
Summary: After SeeD disbands indefinitely, Galbadia's corrupt government seeks domination over anyone who opposes them. Nations are crippling against their forces, the justice system has failed, and any affiliation with SeeD is a death sentence. Squall, Selphie, and Zell's only option is to join the Underground Resistance in order to fight and survive in a fractured society.
1. Preface

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Underground Stories: Naperic Legacy (Case 01)<strong>

**Preface**

**Cape of Good Hope**

**December 2009**

Here she stood just like he said. He _told _her to be here, and she still believed him. That was two years ago, so maybe it didn't matter to him anymore.

It did to _her._

She told him that he would be the one to pierce her heart, and it would be okay if it were him that did it. Not anyone else.

_Nobody _else.

The circumstances were different now. They weren't on the same side anymore as fate drove them apart. Their views, their values, and their love. For a long time she blamed him. He wasn't around enough. He always wanted to control her, making her believe what she wanted was _her_ decision. That was his orders after all, and he had to abide by them.

In truth, it was all a lie.

Lies were fabricated to make her feel accepted within the home of the very people who wanted her dead- who _preferred _her dead.

That's when her knight, her _true _knight, came along and opened her eyes to make her see how controlled her life really was. He offered freedom and liberation and hated these people as well.

They said when a sorceress loses her knight she goes crazy. Ultimecia apparently did, but she knew she wasn't her. Their fate wasn't the same. It wasn't going to _be_ the same, and she wasn't going to let that happen.

Here she stood alone in this field of white and yellow flowers with mountains to the north and the sea to the west. This is where they once made a promise. A place that she believed- she_ truly_ believed- would give her prosperity and love. Now a place that promised her timely death, but she wasn't going to let that happen, either.

She seeks freedom from control. Control from the ones who wanted her dead, control from her father's expectations, control from the very people who seek liberation from the oppressive powers that be.

From everything. From everyone.

Liberation was going to come. She was going spread her angelic wings and show the world how strong she really had become. But they didn't sprout from her back just yet because she had one last thing to do.

In her mind his words rang out strong and true.

_I'll be waiting here. If you come here, you'll fine me. I promise._

A footstep crushed the flowers nearby announcing his arrival. The sorceress turned, and there he was with his blade drawn.

Her ex-knight.

He had kept the promise after all, but he wasn't here to love her. He was here to kill her.

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><p><strong>AN:** This has been quite the work in progress over the past few years, but it's finally here. This story has been written over and over again due to me losing access to files and my old accounts **PrettyBlackDiamond **and **SelphieLoire.** Recently, I picked it up again and got serious about it. The original story was called _Final Fantasy 8: Naperic Legacy, _and the older version is still probably on here. This is a completely revised and updated version to that. It's come a long way from what it used to be, and I plan to update frequently.

I kind of wanted to give the story a relative time in this century. The story was originally written in 2009. So, the game's events take place in 2007, and the story is mostly in the year 2009. You will see dates throughout the story.

Anyway, hope you enjoy reading it!

(REVISED ON OCT. 18TH, 2015)


	2. Phase I: Aftermath

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Final Fantasy 8, even though it would be cool if I did. I do own all the OCs in this story in the later chapters, though.

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><p><strong>Phase I <strong>

**Aftermath **

**Balamb Garden – 0930 hrs **

It was quiet in Balamb Garden with just a few SeeDs and cadets wandering the halls of the massive military academy. Despite its size, the population of the student body and graduated SeeDs had dropped drastically since the end of the last war. Lives were lost, people were injured, and others were just so mentally worn down that they had dropped out. This led the profits of Garden to decrease into a financial all time low.

Cid Kramer, headmaster of Balamb Garden, sighed looking over the last of the paperwork. He put the pages down against the manila folder that sat in front of him on his mahogany desk.

For almost twenty years, he had a dream. That was to give children affected by war a home and the training that would help them make a difference in the world. He had strong ambition to bring positive change to a crippled planet ravaged by human greed, political conflict, and most of all magical adepts- sorceresses. Well, that last one was SeeD's original intent before it became a military academy.

With this in mind, he and his wife worked hard to create the Gardens. Located in Trabia, Galbadia, and Balamb, they all specialized in different areas, but operated as a whole.

Trabia Garden concentrated on martial combat and weapons training. They offered specialized courses for students interested in joining SeeD, allowing them to write the in class test and participate in the field exam upon transferring to Balamb. Trabia also motivated those to express themselves creatively through elaborate Garden festivals and the arts. This Garden didn't make it through the war and struggled with its reconstruction after the Trabian Missile Crisis.

Galbadia Garden focused on technology, the military, and diplomatic studies. Students had the option to either partake in the same SeeD transfer program or join the Galbadian military. The faculty was strict and cutthroat. They offered extensive training in every specialty, courses on Galbadian politics, and battle strategy. Their Garden was left in shambles from the 'Battle of the Gardens', but they were still in better shape than Trabia.

Balamb Garden was the home of SeeD. It was the main hub of operations within the massive organization he started twelve years ago. It had extensive training facilities, an accelerated curriculum, and the SeeD program itself. Students who chose to pursue training to become SeeD were required to use Guardian Forces to enhance their abilities in battle. Due to a highly speculated theory regarding memory loss from constant use, GFs were only approved by the education board in Balamb, while Trabia and Galbadia frowned upon them.

Now his blue eyes looked up to regard the five soldiers standing at attention in his office.

There was a reason why he specifically called these individuals here today and felt that they had the right to know before anyone else. These five had proven their worth to SeeD just a few short months ago, and underwent the most dangerous mission SeeD had faced to date. They achieved the unimaginable by not only defeating a sorceress, but one from the future that threatened to wreck havoc on their time and beyond. No other SeeD would have been able to achieve this, not even a veteran with years of experience under their belt.

Cid wouldn't have it any other way because he believed in _their _destiny, and he saw these SeeDs as not only impressive soldiers, but his children.

The fated children.

They were veterans- _heroes._

Every one of them now stood donned in their black SeeD uniforms with the gold and red trim. The only differences were the amount of medals pinned to the fabric, announcing their success and victory. The five were an impressive group, all Rank 27 and above.

"You are all probably wondering why I summoned you here today," Cid started off with his voice level, showing no emotion. Their eyes looked straight ahead with stone cold expressions that he knew were out of respect.

"Today I was presented with daunting news, an outcome of the decline we've had in recent months. I regrettably must pass on news that I never thought I would have to deliver," His eyes examined their blank expressions one by one hoping to get some kind of reaction. "In 48 hours, we are to close the doors of all Gardens and to vacate the premises. It's sad to say that SeeD will be disbanding."

"That's bullshit!" The blond young man with the tribal tattoo on the side of his face burst from his emotionless expression. His face was beat red as he stepped out of line. This elicited annoyed glances from the others, but they remained composed nonetheless. "We have to do somethin'! Right guys?"

"Isn't there anything we can do!?" The smallest of the group, a girl with brown hair flipped up at the ends said next. Her big green eyes pleading with the headmaster.

"How about the younger classmen, Sir." Quistis said respectfully. "Where will they go?"

Cid folded his hands in front of him, "We have made accommodations in several orphanages and foster homes for anyone aged 15 and under. Unfortunately, the rest have to carve their own path in life."

"So yer basically sayin' they can go fuck 'em selves then." Irvine Kinneas snapped. The group looked at him silently, scolding him for his vulgar behavior and disrespect. Irvine caught on quickly, clearing his throat, and getting back into line, "…Sir."

"I understand your concern for yourselves and the rest of the student body, but this is something that cannot and will not be negotiated. This is happening, with circumstances as they are the world thinks it no longer needs SeeD. The lack of funding and resources are shutting us down. If there are any other questions, please feel free to stay behind so we can discuss this. Dismissed."

Nobody chose to stay as they filed out the wooden door of his office. Cid noticed that one young man did not speak or react at all to the news. It concerned him, but it didn't surprise him.

"Squall." Cid said before the he could make it out the door. Just as expressionless as he had been in line with his friends, Squall Leonhart faced him. "Do you have anything to say, Commander?"

"Permission to speak freely, Sir." Squall replied in monotone, and when granted, his formal straight posture relaxed slightly. "I've seen the reports myself. I manage operations for SeeD dispatch and mission selection. I knew about the decline for missions. I saw it coming."

"And you're not the least bit upset?"

"I _am_ upset!" Squall shouted, "Just like everyone else. I'm losing my _home, _Sir. I have nowhere to go and no other plans. So pardon my lack of respect, but are we done?"

"Yes, Squall." Cid spoke softly, slightly touched by Squall's rare moment of expressing passion, "Dismissed."

Without hesitation, Squall stepped out of his office.

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><p><strong>Balamb GardenGirls Dormitories **

**1500 Hrs**

Later, Squall walked through the halls of the dorms at a rushed pace. He ignored the looks he was getting from a group of junior classmen and SeeDs. He had something he needed to do, _someone _he needed to speak to. The news they had received, coupled with her absence made Squall a force to be reckoned with. Judging by his speed and the concentrated look on his face, nobody wanted to stop him for a chat today. They moved out to the sides of the walkway like he was a magnet that repelled them away.

_Why didn't she show up to Cid's office? He called her name, too. Why the _hell_ would Rinoa miss a meeting like that? _

Not watching where he was going, Squall made a sharp left around a corner and slammed right into someone. He swore under his breath and glared down at the unfortunate culprit that stopped his gait.

Big green apologetic eyes peered up at him from her spot on the floor, and he should have known from the high pitched squeak that it was none other than Selphie Tilmitt.

"Hey!" Selphie pouted, now surrounded by papers she had organized for her report on a mission she had _just_ finished. Squall ignored her and scowled in annoyance. He maneuvered around her as if they hadn't collided to continue down the hall of the girl's dorm wing.

"What the hell!?" Selphie's frustrated voice could be heard behind him, "I worked all day on these!"

When he got to the room four doors down in the next hall, he pounded on the door to a guest suite. Nobody answered at first. Squall continued to knock and finally someone came rummaging to the door. A dog barked at the sudden noise, which could only be Angelo.

"I'm coming!" He heard Rinoa say from behind the automatic door. A few beeps indicated that she was unlocking it. Squall barged into her room in a hurry.

"Where were you?" Squall snapped. "You were called to the headmaster's office, and you never showed up."

Rinoa raised her black brows at Squall's sudden burst of anger- well, sudden to _her. _"I was taking a nap." She replied simply.

Squall's eyes caught the time on her bedside clock and shot her a glare. She was clad in a blue bathrobe that hugged against what he imaged to be her naked body under the garment. Her hair was tied back in a messy ponytail. He pushed aside any attraction he had for her for right now, wanting to get answers first. "At 1500 hours?"

Rinoa gulped and struggled to maintain her composure, "I was tired, okay? I trained all day."

Squall wanted to laugh at the absurdity of that statement. "You…trained? I didn't think you knew where the Training Centre was." He tried to lace that statement with some amusement so she knew he wasn't entirely pissed off. He _was, _but she didn't need to know that.

"Well I-"

"Hey, Rin." A male voice said from an adjoining room, and it grew clearer when he got closer, "What's goin' on…_shit._"

There in Rinoa's dorm stood the three of them. Seifer Almasy was clad in just his white undershirt and black boxer briefs with a surprised look on his face. Rinoa clad in just a bathrobe with no indication that she had even made it to a bathroom yet because her hair and face were still dry. Her black hair messily sat atop her head and makeup smudged.

Squall's blue eyes were wide as if he just walked into something he shouldn't have. Like he _disturbed _something. His heart pounded against his chest, and his breathing prevented air from escaping his lungs. Many questions ran through his mind all at once, and he wasn't sure where to start. But the obvious one would have to do for now.

"What is he doing here?" Squall asked in an even tone trying to control his anger.

Rinoa looked both shocked and uncertain at the same time. She breathed heavily calculating what to do in her mind. He could see the gears turn in her brown eyes- the same brown eyes he grew to fall in love with over the past few months. Her body would melt into his whenever they were in bed together.

And all he could think about was Seifer instead of himself. The sudden mental images made him want to puke or strangle his rival until he couldn't breathe. At a time like this he wished he didn't leave Lionheart back in his own dorm.

"Squall," Rinoa said firmly, cautiously stepping closer to him until her hand rested on his forearm, "It's not what it looks like."

"You didn't tell me what he's doing here." Squall replied quietly so Seifer couldn't hear.

It was lucky he did because Seifer walked into the room looking just as cautious. "Look, Leonhart. The princess is right. We were just talking about old times is all."

"In your _underwear_!?" Squall lost it not caring who was listening outside the room. "What the fuck!?"

Rinoa tried again, "He spilt soda on himself I was just…"

"Seifer." Squall spoke staring directly into Rinoa's eyes. "Get out now."

The blond didn't even hesitate. He disappeared back into the other room and grabbed his clothing not even bothering to put pants on. After a few moments, Squall heard the door hiss shut behind them.

Rinoa looked terrified then. Squall didn't care. He felt a hundred different emotions he had never felt all at once before. Betrayed, humiliated, angry, confused…

She took in a deep breath, and when she exhaled tears fell over her cheeks, "What do you want me to say!?"

"What do _I_ want you to say?" Squall echoed her with more force, "Explain to me what the fuck you were doing with him!"

"You can't barge in like this and demand to know everything I do!" Rinoa screamed, "I'm sorry I missed the meeting okay! We lost track of time and-"

"Doing _what, _Rinoa!?" Squall shouted back, "Were you fucking him!? Is that it!?"

"Squall, _please _listen-"

It was too late; Squall was done here. He threw his hands up mainly to get hers off of him and stepped away. He shook his head giving her the most disgusted glare he could muster, "…how long?"

Rinoa's tears worsened, she couldn't speak. When she locked eyes with him guiltily, she knew he wasn't going to back down or change his mind. Her voice came out pathetically small, "A month."

Squall inhaled sharply and turned around slowly making his way to the door. Before he walked through it, he stopped, "Garden's shutting down. You better find a new place to live. Have a nice life, Rinoa."

The door hissed shut behind him leaving her to reflect on what just happened in the last ten minutes.

Once outside the room, Squall felt like he could breathe a little, but needed to get back to his room before he broke down in the hallway. He rushed down the hall again, ignoring the concerned look he got from Selphie who had finished gathering her paperwork into a neat pile on the floor.

By the time she stood up to watch him leave, Squall had turned the corner and sprinted down the hall out of sight. She felt something squeeze at her heart, knowing something bad had happened. She sighed.

_Today just can't get any worse._

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><p><strong>AN:** Well, we started off dramatic! The first two chapters kind of conclude what happens to Garden, and then the real fun starts. You can check out the second chapter soon. I'm really eager to get that out because it really starts up around chapter 3.

Rinoa cheating on Squall may seem random, but there could be a good reason why she did it. We will just have to find out. I am also stating this right now that I actually LOVE Rinoa's character, and I'm trying to develop a back story for her that comes to light later on. Makes things a bit interesting. There will not be any Rinoa bashing in this Squalphie fic at all.

This story is planned to have around 30 chapters in it, and a few stories to go along with it as well. So stay tuned!

(REVISED ON OCT. 18TH, 2015)


	3. Phase II: Reality Isn't So Kind

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase II<strong>

**Reality Isn't So Kind**

**Balamb Garden/Cafeteria **

** 0430 hrs**

Quistis Trepe sat in the cafeteria reading a local newspaper and sipping a hot cup of tea. She found reading to be one of the best distractions. As pathetic as it sounded, reading about other people's issues kind of made her current situation feel less horrible.

"There you are!" The blonde flashed her blue eyes up at the women who stood next to her table. "Is this seat taken?"

"No, Xu, by all-" She was about to gesture to the other seat across from her when the SeeD plopped down before she could even finish her sentence.

Xu looked flustered, which was expected after the announcement to the rest of the student body just a few hours earlier. She ran her hand through her brown medium length hair staring out at the small line up of students grabbing a late lunch. "I can't believe this. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Nobody did." Quistis replied, carefully drinking her tea. "We all have to find our own way I suppose."

Xu's face shifted to a skeptical expression. "Easy for you to say. You _have_ options."

The cup clinked when it collided with the matching saucer next to where her paper lay. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Xu brushed Quistis' look of annoyance off, "Come on, Trepe! We both know President Loire had his eyes set on you for that position in his personal council since the end of the war. He's been pestering you about it for months. Just take the job already!"

"I don't know." Quistis was still uncertain, and Xu couldn't imagine why.

"It's better pay than _this_ place, you get to relocate, and have free board. It's the perfect opportunity!" She exclaimed.

Quistis considered this because it wouldn't have been a possibility before. Laguna had been constantly trying to get her to work for him as he recognized her potential in diplomatic affairs and military services. What had held her back was the possibility of leaving a life she thoroughly enjoyed. SeeD had been her home, but in less than 48 hours that would become irrelevant.

"And if I say yes?" Quistis asked slowly.

Xu just had this amused look on her face that had Quistis concerned. "I hear he's looking for two people. Put in a good word for me, yeah?"

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><p><strong>Balamb GardenTraining Centre **

**0530 hrs**

Zell Dincht took down maybe the tenth Grat since he got here. Well, he thought it was the tenth- could have been more if he was actually paying attention. He stood up disgusted by the green ooze that tended to burst from their bodies when they died. He shook it off his hand and grumbled, walking away to find his next opponent.

He ventured farther into the Training Centre noticing a lack of attendees today, which he assumed had to do with the news of SeeD disbanding. That was why he was here anyways. Was he the only guy in this goddamn place that trained to release tension? To forget about things?

_Pansy cakes. All of them. I don't use that as an excuse not to train!_

He headed towards the 'secret area' now taking out cell phone from his pants pocket to check the time. The touch screen display told him that he had been at this for over an hour. He wiped the sweat off his brow with a tanned forearm and figured that if nobody was around, taking a break would do him some good.

Stepping onto the balcony that overlooked the rest of Garden, Zell realized the sun was turning in for the night. The reds and oranges in the sky that set on the horizon caught the sky aflame, and a crisp breeze suggested that fall had arrived.

Upon entering the balcony, all expectations of being alone diminished when he saw a familiar cowboy 'getting busy' with a blonde girl in the corner. They were the only ones there, and Zell felt like maybe he should find a new place to hang out now that Irvine had tainted this place with his promiscuity.

Zell cleared his throat forcing the cowboy to turn around and see him standing there with his arms crossed. Irvine smiled sheepishly trying to readjust his hat while the girl got embarrassed and ran right past Zell.

He got just a glimpse of her and jeered, "Ain't she a little young for you, bro?"

"Fuck, Zell." Irvine grumbled, clearly agitated by the interruption, "Yer such a cock block, man."

"Did you catch her ID?" Zell snickered, "Dude, I'm pretty sure you just committed a crime."

Irvine waved at him, "It ain't my fault that all the ladies want me. I can't discriminate!"

"What happened to Selphie, huh?" Zell asked him.

Irvine was taken aback, "Look. That happened like once, okay?"

Zell nodded, "Uh-huh."

"I gotta take advantage of this. I got like what? Less than two days to live this shit up before we gotta leave, alright?"

The blond laughed, despite their situation. "Man, there's gonna be more women out there, _trust_ me."

"Well, here the girls are nice. Out there," He said waving his arm out towards the ocean, "They're all pretentious and harder to woo if ya know what I mean."

"Yeah, sure." Zell chuckled, "What's your big plan anyway?"

"I'm gonna go out there! Travel and see world without havin' to be at war. Enjoy the finest luxuries and women, and maybe visit a few arms museums while at I'm it. Could use a new gun or two. Yerself?"

"Probably gonna go back home."

Irvine sighed, "Must be nice havin' a Ma, eh? Home cooked meals and a place to stay."

Zell scratched his head, "I guess. It kinda sucks for everyone else though. What's their plan?"

"Selphie's headin' back to Trabia from what she told me. Quistis has a job offer that she doesn't wanna talk about. I don't know 'bout Squall. He won't be goin' to Esthar to live with his ol' man."

"That's fucked." Zell replied, still finding it hard to believe that the president of Esthar was Squall's father. This was still fresh news with the group and less known to the general public.

"Maybe he's gonna go be with Rin." Irvine suggested and shrugged it off. "Anyways." He grabbed something from his coat pocket and unscrewed the cap. A flask.

Zell eyed the silver container watching the cowboy take a few gulps. Irvine extended it over. "Want some? Takes the edge off."

The blond shrugged and took a sip. It burnt all the way down and made his head fuzzy. His emotions stirred and settled. Irvine was right. Regarding the sunset again, Zell lifted the flask to cheers Irvine, Garden, and the Island of Balamb.

_To embracin' a new start, I guess._

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><p><strong>Balamb GardenQuad **

**2200 hrs**

_"__Maybe it's bricks and mortar now, whether or not they run it down_

_I don't want anything to shake that shape away…"_

Selphie sang strumming the cords on her guitar. It was a song she felt embodied what she was feeling during the war and at this very moment. An artist she had been listening to a lot recently wrote the song.

_"__No one told us which way to come, nobody mapped oblivion_

_So I go growing roses in disarray…"_

Currently, she was alone in the dead of night singing her heart out into the empty Quad.

Her private sanctuary. Her _home _here.

This was how she distracted herself. Music had always been a way for her to express her feelings when the going got tough.

_"__Just like most, falling head in. 'Til my ghost fills the bed in_

_So lift it up like a banner. Hold it up over me. If this war is never ending. I'll take this love down with me."_

She put more emotion into the last part synchronizing the tabs and her vocal cords into a harmony. Selphie felt one with the music as mental images were trigged by certain words and phrases. They reminded her of specific memories over the last few months. It was like she was expressing her thoughts without actually expressing them. She felt music allowed her to show emotions that she wouldn't normally show on a regular day.

Sad songs gave her empathy when a smile widened on her face. Happy songs enhanced her mood and picked the pieces of war off the ground that lay scattered at her feet. Love songs made her imagine the possibilities of one day falling in love with someone she truly cared for.

_"__I don't need fate to give it time; it doesn't take pain to change your mind." _She kept singing until she opened her eyes and realized she had an audience. She didn't even notice that he was standing there down below while she sat on stage leaning against a pillar that held up the lights with a guitar sitting in her lap.

_"__Mind no weapon can sever the soul from me…" _She whispered the last part, trying to maintain the smile on her face while hiding her embarrassment.

Squall quietly watched on and waited a few moments after she stopped singing. He lifted a hand and strode to the front of the stage, "No, don't mind me. Keep going."

Selphie skeptically eyed him and got back into tune, "_Not the sorceress, not the money. All my cleverness, all my cunning so lift up like a banner. Hold it up over me if this war is never ending."_

_"__I'll take this love down with me." _She finished. There was more to the song, but she didn't feel like reiterating the same lyrics. Squall probably got the point by now. She giggled at the small smile that was faintly present on his lips.

"Did you like it?" She asked him, and he nodded.

"I didn't know you could do that." Squall admitted, climbing up the stage and sitting next to her. Selphie swung her legs over the edge and kicked her feet. She felt warmth in this random interaction and actually liked his company.

"I'm full of surprises." She laughed, "I like singing because it makes me feel like I can express myself in ways I normally can't."

"You're always so happy and excited about everything. How's that not expressing yourself?" Squall asked her, frowning.

Laughter dissipated in her tone, and Selphie's eyes fixated on something ahead, "I guess you're not the only one who hides behind a mask, huh?"

In that moment, Squall considered this. He always found that Selphie and himself had nothing in common. Their attitudes were completely different, and where she was loud and exciting, he was quiet and reserved.

But maybe she was a master at hiding how she really felt about things. She had a mask on in terms of a smile and laughter, whereas he had a blank expression and a frown. They were night and day, but maybe they were the same after all- in some aspects.

"So, Squall, what's up?" Selphie looked over to him with that smile.

Squall sighed, unsure of where to begin. The day he had was coming to and close, and he was so grateful for that. Since leaving Rinoa's room where he found Seifer, he had gone to his own dorm and probably broke everything fragile that he could get his hands on; one of those things being a framed picture of Rinoa and himself at a victory party.

He also knew Selphie had an idea of what was going on. She was there when he slammed into her without even apologizing. He left her gathering her papers into a pile, and he didn't even offer to help. Not even the second time when he ran right by her. He felt guilty because out of everyone, Selphie deserved his aloof nature and cold treatment the least.

"I'm sorry about earlier." Squall finally said. It took Selphie a few moments to register this until she recalled what he was referring to.

Selphie waved and dismissed it like that was the most ridiculous thing ever. "It's okay! I got it all figured out. I handed that long report in to the headmaster. It was no biggie."

"I didn't offer to help you. I was…in a bit of a rush." Squall struggled to even tip toe around the subject. He deliberated whether to tell her or not. Part of him really needed to sort out his thoughts aloud, but the other was scared of being judged or appearing weak.

In reality, he was weak. He felt weak. Maybe he always was _weak. _

"Yeah," Selphie gave him a look, "You looked like you were running away from a T-Rexuar, not gonna lie. Is everything okay?"

_Everything's fine. It's none of your business. _

It's funny because six months ago he would have replied with that without a second's hesitation. Now, he knew that's not what he wanted to say. Not to Selphie.

"Uh…" he started off, the uncertainty in his voice was something not even he was used to, "Rinoa and I broke up." Just admitting that out loud was like a confirmation. Not something he could trick himself into denial. Out loud it was official because now someone else knew.

Selphie's eyes went wide like saucers. She was clearly shocked by the news. And it was just five simple words- five words she never thought she'd hear. "What!? Why!?"

Squall almost felt comfort in Selphie's outburst. He knew she would care. "I caught her with Seifer. That's why she didn't go to the meeting earlier."

"She _cheated _on you with _Seifer!?"_ Selphie's voice rang out loud in the Quad, and Squall quickly searched the area making sure nobody was there to eavesdrop.

Selphie took the hint and flushed, "Sorry. It's just…_wow_. I can't believe her. What a bitch!"

Squall suppressed a laugh at Selphie's vulgar choice of words to describe his now ex-girlfriend and her friend. "Yeah, that's what's up."

"Oh my Hyne, Squall!" Selphie exclaimed, passion and sympathy in her voice now. She shifted to kneel down behind him embracing him in a tight hug. Her face buried itself in the crook of his neck. The warmth settled his nerves, and he grabbed her forearm reciprocating the action somewhat. "I'm so sorry. You must feel horrible."

_Thanks for stating the oblivious there. _He caught himself thinking.

"If there's anything you need…" She whispered, "Please tell me."

He turned to her, she lifted her head, "Nothing now. It's just nice to know someone's got my back."

She chuckled, "Literally. On your back."

He allowed a smile, "Like a monkey on my back."

She laughed again, "You callin' me a _monkey_ now!?"

He nodded, and felt her push him off the stage with more force than he thought she had considering their size difference. Squall landed expertly on his feet and spun around to look at her accusingly. She had her hands on her hips, but her laughter carried its way throughout the room.

"That wasn't funny."

Selphie hopped off the stage after him. "Really? I think that was pretty hilarious!"

Squall shook his head and began to walk the other way, but his hand caught onto hers before he could get very far. She stopped him, and he stared back at her curiously. Yes, he was very aware of her hand gripping onto his. And yes, his girlfriend _just_ cheated on him. Oh and yes, they were both losing their home the day after tomorrow. But none of that actually mattered because whatever Selphie just did made him forget all that for the last five minutes.

In the back of his mind, a fleeting thought made him feel an emotion that seemed so odd that it was something he had never considered before. Something he never felt for Selphie, but once felt for Rinoa upon meeting her.

Fascination.

There were so many layers to her, so many versions of her that he had seen in the past few months, and it all came at him at once.

There they stood facing each other with her green eyes gazing into blue. It frightened him. He didn't know what to do then, but he did at the same time. He opened his mind for a split second to a possibility.

A 'what if'?

Maybe it was out of desperation, or his broken heart, or his muddled fucked up head.

_Fuck it._

He didn't really care right now what it was, and all he kept thinking about was how easy it was to be around her. And the thrilling, liberating feeling that she wasn't going to be here in two days, two weeks, or two years.

His fear wasn't a fear right now, more like an advantage. Squall never felt like this before. Slowly he leaned in, not feeling obligated to Rinoa, or Garden, or SeeD.

_Fuck it all. _

It was an instant, maybe a second that he felt his lips lightly brush hers. And upon contact, a thought struck him like lightening to a tree.

_Hold on, what am I doing….?_

Selphie was too surprised by this action, but that didn't explain the fluttering in her stomach. He backed away suddenly, red with embarrassment. She remained calm, because this was Squall Leonhart making a mistake. Freaking out over it would make things worse.

"I better go." Squall said. "Thanks for the talk."

Before she could even answer, her hand slipped away from his. Selphie was left watching him run away again for the second time that day.

* * *

><p><strong>Balamb GardenSecret Area **

**2330 hrs**

The two guys had managed to finish the flask and scored another bottle of Trabian gin from Irvine's room just to come back and enjoy the night. It didn't make much sense why they decided to come back here seeing as it didn't make a difference to drink in his room or in the 'secret area.'

And since they were leaving Garden, screw the rules, right?

Zell managed to also score a small wireless speaker and hooked it up via Bluetooth to his Smartphone. Classic rock blared, and the two sang along to the lyrics in a rather embarrassing duet.

"Welcome to tha jungle. We've got fun 'n' games. We got everythin' ya wan. Honey, we know the names. We are the people that can find whateva…ya may need. If you got the mona, hona…We got your diseeeease." They both sang alternating the lines between them.

At one point it broke out into an elaborated guitar solo, which had Zell air guitaring, and Irvine dancing with the almost empty bottle of the clear liquid like it was a woman.

Irvine broke off from the lyrics as his face lit up when he noticed of the lush green leaves and trees back in the training centre, "I get it! I fuckin' get it!' _That's _the jungle!"

Zell stopped and doubled over in laughter that fully took over his body. His eyes were leaking tears from the hilarity of it all. The two were so distracted from their manic fit they didn't realize that Quistis had showed up, and no, it wasn't for the party.

She uncrossed her arms and made for the speaker, shutting it off. Zell looked up accusingly about to punch the lights out of whoever just did that, but his face instead went white when he saw his former instructor standing there not looking too pleased.

"What's going on here?" Quistis snapped, seizing the speaker into a fist.

Zell looked at Irvine who tried to hide the bottle behind his back. It was a failed attempt because she could clearly smell alcohol in the air. "Uh…Quisty. Wanna join tha party?"

"Y-yeah, it's not like were drinkin' or nothin'." Zell said. Irvine immediately glared at him like he had been severely wronged.

"This breaks so many rules, I can't even begin to list them all." She scolded. "What do you have to say in your defense?"

Irvine exchanged a look with Zell, who shrugged in return. They had been sold out anyways, and Irvine wasn't going to hide that bottle forever. She _could_ have some if she wanted to.

_Sharin' is carin' after all. _

The cowboy revealed the bottle and waved it at the neck, "Wanna have some?"

Quistis sighed irritably, "This is where you two have been? Have you not heard? Rinoa and Seifer left!"

The two raised their eyebrows at each other. "Why'd they leave?" Irvine asked.

Quistis seriously had to spell it out for these assholes. "Rinoa and Seifer left _together. _And Squall wont leave his room! I was just there. He won't answer."

"Where's Selphie?" Zell asked, taking the bottle from Irvine to have another sip. He was disregarding the seriousness of the situation, "Let her deal with it. We're busy." Just as he was about to take another gulp, Quistis quickly grabbed the bottle.

"Selphie, for some unknown reason, is in her room, too. Her door is _locked. _She never locks her door."

"So Rinoa and Squall are done?" Zell asked, "And she left his sorry ass for _Seifer!?_ That's some fucked up shit."

"Wait!" Irvine exclaimed loudly. The volume level of their voices was enough to give Quistis a headache, and they were still breaking noise level rules just by talking. "Where's Squall gonna go?"

A light bulb lit up in Zell's mind just then. He stumbled forwards and fist pumped, "Oh man! I know! I got this covered guys!"

"What're you plannin'?" Irvine slurred lazily. "Share with tha rest of tha class."

As if he just declared Timber's independence to the world, he turned on his heel to look at them triumphantly, "I'm gonna ask him to come with me to Ma's place! It'll be awesome!"

But before he could turn to leave on this rather important mission, Quistis grabbed his arm, "Before you wake him up, sober up, and wait til morning."

He sloppily SeeD saluted her, but felt something rumble in his stomach. His insides churned, and the next thing he knew he was running into the Training Centre to throw up in a flowerbed.

Quistis rolled her eyes and wondered what she did to deserve this.

* * *

><p><strong>Balamb GardenGuys Dorm**

**Almost 2 days later**

**1.5 hrs left **

_Squall, _

_I hope you're happy. I did what you said and left. Seifer's coming with me. You're probably wondering what brought all this on. Well, you were never around and always working. I felt like you didn't take us seriously enough. I felt ignored, unless I did something that made you mad. All you tried to do was control me, and I can't deal with that. _

_I hope you have a great life. _

_Rin. _

That's what the note left under his door said when he came back from the Quad a few nights ago. He mentally evaluated everything he did wrong in the relationship. She was the one that cheated, and yet she had a way of pointing the finger at him.

And then there was what he did to Selphie. He hadn't even seen her since and purposely spent less time with his friends knowing that she would be around. He wasn't sure how he was feeling right now and just needed to get out of this place.

Squall shoved his fur lined leather coat into the duffle bag he had on his bed. The white fur got caught in the zipper again, and he sighed in frustration. He wasn't usually so careless with his things, but today he really couldn't give a damn. The last few days had been hell. He hadn't slept more than 2 hours at a time because he brain wouldn't shut off.

If it were up to him, he would have stayed in his room until he had to leave, but Cid had him in his office organizing the recall of five SeeD squads that had been recently dispatched.

He also had a long list of other duties to fulfill and was probably the last person still packing in the dorms. His room was cleaned from floor to ceiling of any of his belongings, which in reality wasn't much. Squall threw the bag into a pile of others along with two Gunblade cases containing Lionheart and Revolver.

_At least those are coming with me. _Squall thought. He searched around the room and checked his adjoining bathroom to find any stray toiletries in the shower.

"Knock! knock!" Zell's voice boomed announcing his arrival. "And that's not a lame knock-knock joke, it's just me!"

Squall rolled his eyes and frowned. He really didn't want to deal with this right now, but he sucked it up and got out of the bathroom to greet his friend.

"What do you want, Zell?" Squall growled, walking past him to shove his toothbrush into the black duffle he just put down.

Zell looked him over, noticing the grey hoodie, white t-shirt, and the navy blue Balamb Garden sweat pants Squall had on. It was an odd sight for a guy who often wore almost all black.

"Wow, you don't look so hot." Zell said.

"Thanks, the thought of you checking me out makes me squeal with delight." He grumbled, "Whatever. State what you need." He hoisted the handle's strap over his shoulder.

"So, Squall," Zell spoke with interest, "What's your big plan?"

Squall hated to admit it, but he didn't have one. "I'm going to a hotel for a couple of nights. I'll figure it out later."

A huge grin crossed the blond's face, "Well, how about bunkin' with me and Ma?"

He blinked, surprised. He didn't even consider that. "Are you sure?"

Zell nodded, "Sure, man. You board for free, and you just have to do some housework, but it's all good. Ma loves ya. Stay as long as you want!"

Squall deliberated this. It was either not knowing where to go and have no plan, finally swallowing his pride to live with his father in Esthar, or stay with the Dinchts.

Option one sounded vague and dreadful. Option two would see hell freeze over first. But three seemed promising.

He liked three.

"Fine." He finally replied. "You lead, I'll follow."

Zell cheered, "Yeah! This'll be awesome, man! Just you wait!"

Squall began to carry his things down the hall with Zell in toe. "It's gonna be me n' you. Two ex-SeeDs livin' in the unknown havin' the time of their-"

"Zell," Squall interjected firmly, "Shut up and help me."

* * *

><p><strong>Balamb Town Train Station **

**0930 hrs**

The group gathered together with their bags and luggage except for Squall and Zell who left theirs at the Dincht residence. Quistis and Selphie were heading east to Esthar and Trabia, while Irvine went west to Galbadia.

"Promise we'll stay in touch?" Selphie sniffed, "I'll miss you guys…"

"Yeah, it was fun while it lasted I guess." Irvine said, giving her a big hug.

Quistis wrapped her arm around Zell and winked, "Don't party too hard. Zell, take care of him."

"More like I'm taking care of _him_." Squall scoffed, and Zell laughed.

"Squall knows what's up."

Irvine patted the brunet on the back, "Hey Squall, I'll be 'round. I'll come visit ya. We'll have a poker night sometime, eh? Just us guys."

"Whatever." He muttered, turning to see Selphie idling nearby. It was the first time he had seen her since what happened in the Quad. She seemed oddly shy around him, but still tried to hide behind that smile.

"Bye Squall!" Selphie pouted, pulling him into an embrace. It painfully reminded him of the other night, and he just awkwardly reciprocated the hug.

"See you."

She pulled back and tried to smile brightly, but he could see how fake it was. Her eyes silently questioned him about what he did and why. "Stay in touch."

"Sure."

An announcement came over the PA system regarding the impending arrival times for their trains. The SeeDs said their final goodbyes.

Zell sighed, "Man, it's gonna be weird."

"I know." Squall replied.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I kind of wanted to do a double chapter update for this week, but this guy was a hefty one. I needed to get all this done and out of the way for the actual story to start. That will be from the third chapter on, and I'm pretty excited about it.

Anyways, what we saw here was the first bit of Squalphie. I love them together because I can see potential there, but as their not cannon, I can be kind of creative on their journey towards a couple. Something tells me that these two won't have an easy time getting there, though.

Lastly, happy reading and don't forget to review! I'll reply back to anything I get.

(EDITED ON NOVEMBER 8TH, 2015)


	4. Phase III: Two Years Later

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase III<strong>

**Two Years Later**

**Two Miles Outside Timber/Timber Forest**

**September 28****th****, 2009.**

** 1930 hrs**

Footsteps broke the twigs under his heavy boots as he stepped over logs and around slanted trees. His dark eyes searched the area for anything suspicious or out of place. He had lived in these woods for over twenty years knowing the placement of every rock, shrub, and trail. He had gotten a call recently from his partner in Deling City to patrol the woodlands surrounding Timber. Apparently the Galbadians were coming up this way next.

His contacts had told him that they were just outside of Dollet in the mountains now. Cellular reception was few and far between in these parts as a lot of towers were malfunctioning lately. The communication streams were getting less reliable and probably being listened in on by the enemy. He could only guess why.

From what the man gathered after visiting Timber in the past month or so, something was about to happen judging by the heightened security and Galbadian presence in various areas that never needed security before. The Underground Network on the western continent was staring rumble with anxiety over it.

Whatever he was supposed to do, his orders if you wanted to call them that, required him to report back on his findings.

By his side was his trusty hound, Rex. He carried a semi automatic pump action shot gun in his left hand. Whoever was roaming the forest in Galbadian blue was going to be eating dirt six feet under tonight.

After a few moments, he found himself in a clearing greeted by the smell of rotting corpses that unwelcomingly filled his large nostrils. The man recoiled back for a moment covering his mouth and nose with the sleeve of his checkered shirt. The hound ran up ahead inspecting the dead men lying in the dirt with a curious nose. An intense sound of buzzing suggested that black flies were having a feast on the bodies.

Five of them, he counted. All of them either burnt, shot, or maliciously sliced open. He made his way towards the closest one and kicked the body over to get a closer look. Now lying on his back, a long gash ran across his chest that had burns along the edges of the wound. It wasn't caused by something blunt, either. A sword. Judging by the length of it that spilt the man's blood onto the earth under him, it couldn't have been an ordinary military model, either.

Seeing nothing like this before, Jenkins whistled for his hound and turned to rush back to his cottage hidden deep in the woods. When he got there, he started for the small wooden desk by the kitchen. He took out an old morose code kit, creating message to send to the others determined to keep this information off of conventional wireless airwaves.

SOLDIERS FOUND IN FOREST. LARGE SWORD WOUNDS WITH BURNS ON 'EM. YA WERE RIGHT. SOMETHIN' S 'BOUT TO HAPPEN.

Just as he finished the last word, he heard something knock over and crash to the floor in the kitchen. Jenkins stood up slowly checking to see where his dog was. Rex had been snoozing on he couch nearby, but jumped up to his feet and barked at the front door upon hearing the crash. Jenkins' dark eyes located his gun, snatching it up from its position on the coffee table. He kneeled onto the old couch carefully peering through his blinds. They emerged from the bush surrounding the old cottage. Galbadians, but they didn't have their patriotic blue on.

They were clad black.

And those weren't the same uniforms most active underground agents wore these days. They had no coloured bandanas tied to their biceps that told him which faction they belonged to. They weren't his allies. They were his enemy.

That's when the gunfire started. A barrage of bullets cracked through the air, possibly a hundred at a time with barrels blazing at him. Jenkins threw himself to the side and rolled onto the floor. Glass shattered and burst into pieces scattering all over the living room. Old wood from the walls splintered off mixing in with the glass soon after. The dog kept on barking and running around like he was ready to fight a war.

Jenkins ducked behind the couch periodically poking his head and gun up through the window to defend himself. He thanked his Pa for teaching him to shoot as a boy; may Hyne rest his soul. Expertly, Jenkins shot one man down at a time with ease. When the gunfire stopped, he knew he had won. All six of them had fallen, and an eerie silence took over.

Jenkins wasn't a stupid man. At least he didn't think he was. Those were just six soldiers, a small squadron. Others would come, and he needed to be prepared for them. He stumbled around toppled furniture and scattered belongings to his small meagre kitchen. The cabinet door above his sink flew open, and his hand clumsily threw aside old cans and tea boxes to his stash of ammo. He spun around to load it into his weapon when he found that he wasn't alone in his house.

Dressed in the same uniform as the men he just killed, a blond one stood smirking back at him from the kitchen door. A man he knew personally, but hadn't personally met yet. The blond stepped forward, quickly kicking the weapon from his hand and pulled a large black blade on him. Green envious eyes bore right into his, and suddenly a crippling pain erupted from Jenkins hip to just under his shoulder. The long slender wound burned into his skin, and then came the crack of a gunshot that was so close to his ear everything began to ring. He felt his leg grow wet, and his body hit the wooden floor hard.

The last thing he saw was the dusty kitchen floor and a pair of black combat boots turning the corner and retreating from his sight. Rex had gone. He couldn't hear the dog no more.

Slowly, his life was sucked out from his body leaving his soul to roam oblivion.

* * *

><p><strong>Dollet DukedomWestside **

**September 28****th****, 2009. **

**2000 hrs**

The break that invited all instruments into a solo created the climax to the song. Drums kept the beat, bass a gentle hum in the background, and guitars playing rapid notes at the same time to give the song its musical identity. The singer seized their vocals for a 25 second break.

His boot tapped along with the music blaring into his ears through white ear buds connected to the Smartphone in the pocket of his jeans. He temporarily checked out of reality while he also thumbed through the latest issue of _Weapon's Monthly September. _

His blue eyes scanned over some new gunblade parts with interest. There were additional ones and some he hadn't even seen yet. Maybe it _was_ time for an upgrade after all.

Just as he inspected the glossy pages closer to examine the spec list, his headphones were torn from his ears cutting his relaxing evening short.

"What the hell!?" He snapped at the blond standing over him from his spot on the leather couch. His icy glare met a rather amused smile.

"Hey, Squall!" Zell Dincht exclaimed, pushing a flyer of another one of his events in his face. "Wanna go out tonight?"

"No." Squall Leonhart didn't even miss a beat.

"Oh come on, man!" He complained.

"I said 'no', leave me alone." Squall replied, pushing away the flyer and going back to his magazine.

"Pu-lease! Many hot chicks!" Zell sung aloud, pointing to the very line that ensured that many attractive women were going to attend as well. "See? Says it _right_ there!"

Squall grunted, "I don't care."

A sly smile crossed Zell's tattooed face, trying a different approach "Well, guess _somebody_ is too scared to meet anyone special at the party because he hasn't gotten over a certain girl who shacked up with his rival."

Squall growled getting to his feet to storm off into the kitchen of their small Dollet apartment. "I shouldn't have told you that. I knew this was gonna happen."

"Then why did you tell me?" Zell mocked, making his way to the fridge to grab a beer. Their fridge was full of them with the insistence of Zell stating that Dollet was the hub of authentic brews from all over the world. The past two years slowly trickled by for the two ex-SeeD's who where fortunately just shy of turning 20. Outside of SeeD, guys their age were partying, hooking up with women, and drinking. Squall only conformed to the drinking part.

"I might have been drunk or something," Squall answered.

This is where Zell started getting serious. He sighed and slammed his hand onto the nearby counter, "Honestly, _honestly_? As your best friend, I really think you should move on, man! It's been two fuckin' years, and I don't think Rinoa's comin' back anytime soon!"

"Whatever." Squall shrugged, knowing where this whole speech was going because he heard it at least three times a week, and it never got less annoying. Even Irvine had been getting on his ass about it every time he came over. Squall's new favorite pastime was tuning his roommate and the freeloading, self-proclaimed bachelor out.

"So, will you come to the club or not!?" Zell shouted, "I can't go alone, it'd be weird!"

"Then why don't you _not_ go?" Squall exclaimed sarcastically.

"Because, it's a Friday night, and who stays home on a Friday night anyway? Look, the party doesn't start til 2200. It gives us _tons_ of time to get ready, drink a bit, and go."

"Whatever." Squall muttered, angry at the fact that he was about to relent because he didn't want to hear about it anymore, "What's it in for me?"

"Girls and girls!" Zell chirped.

"Besides that," Squall waved a dismissive hand.

Zell began to think, "Ummm…." His face brightened to an idea like a light bulb turning on. "I'll do your laundry with _my _laundry fare for a month, make dinner, and also buy you as many drinks as you want tonight!"

Squall deliberated for a second and spoke up again, "How about, six months, make dinner for a week, and keep the free drinks whenever I want deal, and you got yourself an agreement."

As he always did, Zell jumped in excitement and wrapped his arms around Squall into a bear hug much to his dismay. Squall did not say anything after that. He was going to a club with Zell, which involved loud music, freaky men trying to pick up fifteen year old girls who used a fake ID to get in, and women coming up to him for a dance- he hated all aspects of that.

"Oh and Zell?" Squall said when Zell started back to his room. "Don't expect me to dance, because I won't."

The blond waved his hands in the air, disappearing into the hallway. As for Squall, he sighed and settled down to read his magazine again in the living area.

SeeD had disbanded two years ago leaving everyone who resided in the Gardens to find their own paths in life. The two men had lived in Balamb town for a few months with Zell's mother, and then moved out to Dollet just over a year ago as a fresh start.

Squall was still trying to figure his own out, while Zell had considered enrolling at Dollet University to further his studies in metallurgy next term. Irvine had been doing some traveling, living the life as a single bachelor. The cowboy would stop by from time to time and tell them stories of his adventures, often sleeping on their couch for a few weeks at a time. Together Zell and Irvine berated him about his relationship status, and the 'lack of women' in his life.

When Rinoa left something in him broke. He couldn't bring himself to get into another relationship that would inevitably end the same way. More often than not now, Squall believed he was over Rinoa. Other times he missed her.

Yet again, the club scene was _not _Squall's choice of a good night. He absolutely loathed them with a passion for many reasons. The type of music was far from the genres he listened to. It was party music, and nothing like what he heard in any rock or metal track. This type of music was upbeat; the kind that would give you an extreme adrenaline rush, and make you dance some more.

Squall _hated _dancing.

* * *

><p><strong>Dollet DukedomAmaro Club**

**2331 hrs**

And yet, he ended up going to the club that night. It was just hours prior that Squall agreed to participate in Zell's little 'outing'. He and Zell walked through the doors of the nightclub after standing in a line that was so long it circled the block with an hour of waiting time. They had finally got up to the bouncers; two huge muscular men that seemed as if they took steroids to get that big. They both wore black, tight pants, tight shirts, and all. He just passed through flashing his ID and walked through the door with Zell trailing him.

"Check it out, man!" Zell yelled, clearly excited. The interior of the club was an astonishing sight making even Squall drop his jaw in amazement. Lights beamed everywhere in an array of colours that moved along to the sound of the faded music playing in the nearest room.

"There are four types of music. " Zell explained, "Each have their own room. I think they're Reggae, Hip-Hop, Latin, and Electronic."

"Terrific…" Squall muttered. His frown had been ripped from his face as his eyes came upon the hip hop room. The lighting was red and blue with a large bar crowded with dancers and other patrons getting their orders of alcoholic beverages. Platforms came out from the walls with women and men dressed in outrageously colourful outfits grinding up on each other. The music blared from large speakers by the stage playing some over rated song he had heard frequently on the radio as of late. Far atop an elaborate stage was the DJ spinning his remix.

_So, this is what a club is like, _he thought just as he checked out a rather attractive blonde in a revealing dress strutting by.

"Isn't this place awesome!?" Zell yelled over the loud music.

"I guess!" Squall shouted, turning his attention back to his friend.

"Yo, wanna get some drinks first!?" He asked him and lead the way to the crowded bar.

Zell ordered two Heinekens from a male bartender as they both pulled up a few stools. Their order came within five minutes, and the two were left to sip their beers observing the adjacent women that strode around in their outrageously high heels and short skirts.

Zell's attention caught sight of one brunette that was dancing off onto the dance floor with one of her girlfriends. She wore a faded blue short skirt with a white tank top that showed off one bare shoulder. She had on brown knee high boots that complimented her attire quiet well. Brown bangs flamed her face as her long hair swished from side to side.

When she turned towards him again, Zell instantly recognized her.

He nudged Squall's shoulder, eyes still on her. Squall dealt him an annoyed glance, sipping his beer. "Yo man, look at that brunette!"

Squall scanned the area, seeing five or maybe six brunettes around the spot Zell had pointed. "Which one?"

"_That _one!"

"Oh her?" He asked with little interest, "What about her?"

"Look at her face, doesn't she look familiar?"

Squall narrowed his eyes while the girl swayed to the music. She _was _familiar.

Zell jumped off the stool, strolling right up to her from behind and tapped her shoulder.

The girl huffed, "I told you! I don't wanna da-"

Selphie Tilmitt's green eyes lit up. Zell looked peculiar wearing a cleanly pressed white shirt and not the street clothes he usually wore. He had grown in a goatee, and his hair was styled in its usual up do.

"Zell!" She jumped at him, hugging him tightly. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Same…here!" Zell choked and broke off the hug.

Her heart almost leaped into her throat when she saw Squall come up from behind him dressed in a black button up shirt and dark jeans; he looked so out of place on a dance floor. Unlike Zell, his appearance was generally the same as she remembered.

Squall tried to push away any attraction he had for her at the moment as well as the memory of his lips on hers that night in the Quad. Selphie and himself had never spoken about it afterwards- they actually had never spoken at all in the past two years.

Despite this, Selphie still gave him a hug, just like she did when they said goodbye at the train station before she left for Trabia.

"Hey, Selphie." He muttered resorting to a simple pat on the shoulder.

"You guys look great! Tee-hee." She giggled, looking them over again.

"You do, too." Zell complimented, taking in her transformation. Selphie really did look more mature with her hair like that.

"Oh! Guys, this is Stacy. We went to Trabia together, and now we're roommates. This is Zell and Squall. I graduated with them at Balamb Garden!"

"It's nice to meet you two." Her friend smiled warmly, but her brown eyes locked onto Zell's frame in particular.

Stacy was a taller girl than Selphie. She had on a tight black evening dress and matching heels. Her red hair was in loose ringlets that cascaded down to her shoulders. Her hand slipped into Zell's and pulled him away laughing, "Wanna dance?"

"Hell yeah!" Disappearing into the crowd, Selphie and Squall were left alone together. Tension immediately thick in the air.

Trying to avoid an awkward conversation, Squall promptly turned on his heels and weaved his way between the dancers to get another beer at the bar. Selphie followed him.

Once back at the bar area, she found Squall leaning against the counter waiting for a bartender to take his order.

"Heineken." He muttered to the man and passed him off some Gil. "What do you want?"

Selphie knew that he wasn't asking her about the alcohol, and the question was more literal than he made it out to be. She smirked and replied, "Amaretto." The lion sighed, and the bartender went off to make the drink. After getting their orders, the two sat in silence for a while before she broke it.

"So…" Selphie started awkwardly, sipping at her drink through a small straw. "Why didn't you keep in touch with me, Squall?"

Squall remained composed, but knew this was coming. "I was busy."

"Doing what?"

_What is this all about?_

He replied, "I was working and training."

"I guess you haven't changed much then, huh?"

"Whatever…" was all he could say before he took in another mouthful of beer. Squall didn't know what her problem was. He could sense hostility in the way she spoke and acted. He felt like that comment was unnecessary and a poor attempt to get under his skin. This wasn't the Selphie he remembered.

Selphie tried a different approach, "I guess you're finally over Rinoa. That's why you're here, right? So, you can check out some nice ladies?"

"Not really," Just by bringing his ex-girlfriend up, he knew what her intention was now. Although truthfully, he wasn't really there for the ladies, but had checked out three or four before Selphie showed up.

She scoffed in disbelief, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, "Very funny, Squall." As she stood up, she patted his shoulder. He looked at her hand and suddenly didn't want it there.

"I'm serious." He cocked an eyebrow.

The brunette rolled her eyes before turning away. Squall knew he had done something to irritate her. _ I suppose it's because I never kept in contact with her. I didn't really keep in contact with anyone aside from Zell and Irvine. What was I supposed to say? _After a few seconds, he didn't even care anymore.

"It was nice talking to you." She finally said walking off to the dance floor to find her friend, leaving Squall to sulk. The DJ switched songs with a smooth transition, and the crowd of partygoers went wild to the chart-topping tune.

Squall felt the floor under him shake, and all the glasses on the bar rattled and some smashed to the floor. The walls jolted, and smoke began to fill the inside of the club. The sudden rumble was followed by a loud eruption. Between the explosion and screaming, Squall couldn't hear anything aside from the ringing in his ears.

"Everyone RUN!" the DJ yelled through a microphone and disappeared out of sight.

His reflexes kicked in, feeling unfamiliar to him from the lack of consistent training; it was the same feeling he got when a battle broke out. Immediately his thoughts processed the situation, breaking his objectives down into steps. First he needed to get to Selphie, and then he needed to locate Zell and Stacy. They had to find an exit and get the hell out of here as fast as they could.

Squall's hand reached out for Selphie's arm, spinning her around. She was both horrified and confused, but otherwise safe.

"Squall, what the hell's goin' on!?"

"I don't know." He replied, "We need to find Zell and Stacy!"

"Squall!" They heard Zell's shout over the yelling and screaming of other patrons. Stacy wasn't too far behind.

"Selphie!" Stacy cried, hugging her tightly, "What is going on!?"

"I have _no_ idea!"

"We need to get out of here!" Zell yelled.

"He's right. If we value our lives, we have to leave now!" Squall said, still holding onto Selphie's wrist. They rushed to the closest door, the one next to the stage.

The four of them cut through the crowd, struggling every inch of the way to that exit. Half way to their escape route, soldiers burst through the doors and windows with uniforms and guns drawn, rushing everyone in one swoop.

"Soldiers!?" Selphie cried. _Galbadian, but not blue._ _Black uniforms? _

"Another Galbadian invasion!? What the_ fuck_!?" Zell snapped.

Stacy pointed out the logical, "This is insane!"

"You're tellin' me…" Selphie muttered, "Squall?"

"Why would Galbadian soldiers be attacking now? What do they want?" He asked himself more than he asked the group.

A distressed shriek drew him from his thoughts. A soldier was mistreating a blonde woman, pulling her by her long ponytail. "Stop it, please!" She pleaded with him, kicking around and flailing her arms.

"Hey!" Squall demanded, "Let her go!"

The soldier laughed, "Who do you think yer talkin' to, kid?"

"I said, let her go." He repeated in a more threatening tone this time.

"And what if I don't?" The obnoxious soldier asked, scornfully smirking at him.

Just a split second after the man had finished asking his question, Squall replied by charging at him. The soldier didn't even know whom he was dealing with; Squall kicked his gun away and made it go flying somewhere on the ground disarming him.

His fist collided into the soldier's face, then three times to the stomach to knock the wind out of him. Squall's left leg sprang off the ground while his right swung high enough to to hook the guy's head with his foot. The soldier's body spun around sending him onto the floor to fall on his stomach. Squall's opponent groaned in defeat, crumbling on the ground holding his bloodied face in his hands.

The woman struggled to get up, panting heavily. Squall grabbed her bicep and helped get her to her feet. "Thank you so much…" she said in a Trabian accent.

Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail. Her eyes were a honey brown, complimenting her tanned skin. Her blue and white silk dress was more formal than this club even required.

"Umm…pardon me?" Her sweet voice asked, and Squall realized that he was making her nervous with his prolonged stare.

"Selene!" A male called out from somewhere nearby. Squall and the others looked in the general direction of the voice, but couldn't identify who had shouted. The girl named Selene steadied herself on her feet and disappeared into the mess of partygoers.

"How rude! She didn't even say goodbye!" Stacy huffed, planting her hands to her curvy hips.

"Let's go!" Squall ordered.

When they finally got out of the building, the streets were filled with people and flashing lights. Police and swat teams in riot gear got out of various vehicles in preparation to swarm the building. Patrons were either clustering in groups or trying to make phone calls to locate their lost friends, but cellular connection was horribly lacking. The paramedics were there to take in the injured. News station trucks drove into the area and began to interview witnesses, officers, and other personnel.

"But didn't Galbadian soldiers do this?" Selphie asked Squall when they got into a vacant alleyway across the street. The four of them hid in the shadows relieved to get fresh air and a quieter place to talk.

"That makes no sense…" Squall muttered, placing his hand over the scar on his forehead.

Zell took matters into his own hands and stormed out of the alley just when a cop ran by.

"Zell, where are you going!?" Selphie called after him.

"Hey! We saw Galbadian soldiers attack the club! What the hell is goin' on?" he demanded when he approached.

"Soldiers didn't attack the club; terrorists did. We're working hard to get this under control, kid. " The cop quickly explained, "Just round up your friends and get as far away from here as possible. I suggest you go home now." Then the officer left to tend to his duties.

"Hear that?" Zell asked the three of them as he strode back into the alley, "Terrorists!"

"Why would they attack a club of all places?" Squall asked.

"Maybe we should do what the cop said and get out of here," Selphie suggested.

"Good idea, Sefie," Stacy agreed, "But our apartment is on the Eastside, it's too dangerous to go there now with all _this_ chaos!"

"Then come to ours, it's just a few blocks away from here." Zell offered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there we are folks! Writing this is like a roller coaster ride, seriously. Anyways, thanks to for the review. I'd do a shout out, but I guess they were a guest user. Thanks to the person who followed as well! Again, I will try to answer reviews, and I love reading them.

Also, if any of you reading this is a beta user and you like it so far, I would highly suggest we connect. PM me in my profile. I'd love to get your thoughts!

Happy reading guys!


	5. Phase IV: Danger

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase IV<strong>

**Danger**

**Dollet Dukedom/ Westside- Squall and Zell's Apartment **

**September 29****th****, 2009. 0024 hrs**

The chaos in their building was not so different than the club. There was a lot of commotion as tenants packed their shit and hauled it down the narrow halls and into the lobby area. Squall struggled past the mess of people and went up to the elevator, jabbing at the up button.

Nothing. The elevator was broken.

"Shit." He grumbled to the group. He should have expected the elevators to be down in this chaos.

"What're we gonna do _now_?!" Stacy wailed, linking arms with Selphie. Squall rolled his eyes and couldn't wait to get out of this mess because her friend's constant complaints were seriously getting on his last nerve.

"We gotta to take the stairs to the 8th floor." Zell groaned, "C'mon, might as well start now."

* * *

><p>"I can't take much more of this!"<p>

"We have to keep movin'!" Selphie encouraged Stacy, dragging the girl up the stairs by the arm. "We have two more floors, and we're there!"

"We better have two more floors…" Stacy wheezed, forcing her feet to stomp up three more steps.

Another explosion rattled the building strong enough to suggest that the blast wasn't too far away this time. Squall grabbed onto the railing tightly while pressing his body closer to the opposite wall for support. He peered down at the others who climbed the steps behind him to check on their wellbeing. Other than startled, they all seemed fine.

"Keep moving! We don't have much time!" Squall shouted. The others followed him up the next two flights silently. He kicked open the door to the 8th floor only to find his neighbors dragging as much stuff as they could towards the elevators. Their groans and loud complaints upon finding the broken elevator could be heard from down the hall. With people trying to move all at once, the corridors were getting cramped full of bodies and large objects, which literally made Squall shove people out of the way to get to his door.

"Here we are…" Zell huffed, desperately fiddling with a set of keys to find the right one.

The living room was the first thing Selphie could see, and it was surprisingly clean for a guys place. A leather black couch was pushed against the wall with a large flat screen TV mounted to the opposite side, and between that was a glass coffee table. A small standard kitchenette was attached to the room that had a small breakfast bar. Down the hall were two bedrooms and a bathroom.

The two girls plopped down onto the couch. Zell turned on the TV, flicking through the channels until he got to the news.

"_Our next story," _the news anchor said, _"Dollet has been attacked by a group of terrorists posing as Galbadian soldiers. The mayor had this to say," T_he mayor of Dollet appeared on the screen standing behind a podium with the flash of cameras going off in his face. "_We do not know the reason for this tragic incident, and I cannot say anything to make matters better for all the citizens of Dollet Dukedom. We _do_ know that these terrorists are in fact Galbadian themselves…"_

"What?" Selphie exclaimed, "_That_ clears everything up for us!"

Squall shushed her, continuing to listen to the mayor speak.

The mayor looked defeated and helpless, _"All we could do now is evacuate the city as soon as possible. All citizens, please exit the city and save your selves. There is no hope…"_

"_Fuck_!" Zell cried, slamming his fist against the coffee table almost breaking it in the process. He couldn't fucking _believe_ this! "There isn't anythin' we can do! We're hopeless!"

"Not quite," Squall cut in. All three of them shot curious glances at his standing figure in the nearby kitchen.

"What are we gonna do, Squall?" Stacy asked him, exasperated, "Kill every last one?"

"No, we can make our way out of the city by protecting ourselves." Squall gave his roommate a pointed look who grinned at him in return with a glint in his eye.

"So, we're gonna get all SeeD on these terrorist asses?" Zell asked.

"Let's get ready to fight." Squall smirked. The two men had grown anxious the past two years for a _real _fight. They silently agreed to retreat to their rooms to get changed out from their club wear and into something more battle ready.

Stacy's brown eyes pleaded with Selphie, "You're gonna fight, aren't you?"

"Of course. It's gonna be like old times, I just know it!"

"Selphie…" Stacy's voice was laced with concern.

Selphie felt like she needed to justify herself, "Stacy, people are gonna die, and I need to protect them."

"I _know _that…but you might get yourself killed."

"Yeah, I might, but it's better to die knowing you did something rather than dying not doing anything at all, right?" Selphie stood up and took out her weapon. The legendary Nunchaku shimmered to life as it released from its magical sheath. The Strange Vision solidified in her hand, and she instantly felt more useful to their situation.

"Maybe that's why I stopped fighting after Trabia was destroyed. I lost that motivation that you still clearly possess." The redhead allowed a smile, but almost jumped out of her skin when the room and everything in it started to rattle from another explosion outside. Stacy threw herself onto the couch, her scream muffled by its cushions.

"The hell did _that_ come from!?" Zell ran into the room. He had on a black and blue hoodie with a tribal design on the back of it. His jeans were dark blue with a silver chain hanging off his hip. On his hands were his prized possessions, his combat gloves the Ehrgeiz.

Just when she was about to speak, a loud rumble made the floor shake forcing Selphie to collapse to her knees. _That one felt like a bad earthquake!_

"Is everyone alright!?" Squall rushed into the room just moments after Zell had come in.

His attire consisted of a heavy black leather vest with a white tank top underneath it that showed off his strong arms. The fingerless black driving gloves he had on harmonized with his vest, and so did his black denim shorts. Shabby combat boots replaced his dress shoes topping off the entire outfit. Lionheart was loyally at his side glowing a dim blue.

Zell scurried towards the window by the couch, sticking his head out of it to investigate the street below. The entire parking lot full of cars was caught aflame. It was as if a chain reaction occurred when they blew up one after another sending off a gigantic upset to the buildings in the area. "We better go now if we wanna live!" Zell panicked before he sprang off the couch towards the door.

What they thought would give them some safety was just another haven of destruction. The attacks were scattered everywhere across the city in such a short amount of time, breaking out into explosions and gunshots.

_What the hell is goin' __on!?_ Squall thought, following everyone out of his apartment.

* * *

><p>In the elevator area, the frustration had grown thick in the air with people yelling and cursing due to the technical difficulties. Taking the stairs would just kill time, and possibly kill <em>them <em>as well. As Squall observed this, he struggled to piece together a plan. The look on Stacy's face told him that she was about to break down any second from built up anxiety. Once again, he felt like the pressure was all on him.

A husky voice bellowed out for everyone's attention overcoming the sounds of complaints and crying babies. The man was taller than Squall, being about 6'1'' or so, and no more than 20 years old. He had short spiky black hair supported with a considerable amount of gel. His eyes were two different colours, the left blue and the right one a dark brown. He appeared to be strong and confident, with broad shoulders and muscle hidden under his black leather trench coat and navy blue shirt.

"Everyone calm down!" He shouted. "If everyone would just relax and stop freaking out, I could get you all to safety!"

Some of the tenants exchanged glances apprehensively. "As you all know, that in case of emergency you are supposed to use the escape route. It is located down this hallway and to the left." His finger pointed in that very direction.

"But only the landlord has the special key, and it's impossible to get through without it!" A younger girl protested.

He smirked crookedly, "Then we'll bust it down ourselves!" A light flashed just then, and a sword appeared out of thin air. Squall and Selphie both knew of this technology, as they used it to sheath and conceal their own weapons. In recent years, that Estharian technology became all the rage here on the western continent. It was a magically laced sheath charm that allowed one to summon their weapon on demand without having to carry it around in plain sight.

"He has a sheath charm, too?" Selphie noted. Aesthetically, the man's blade was quite striking, made of red and silver high carbon steel. Its shape was even more peculiar, having a narrow base attached to the handle growing thicker as it met its point. From the blades point, it branched off into a smaller curved blade that made it look more like a large sickle. The blade was roughly the same size as Squall's, but looked more 'broken into' with worn weapon tape secured around the handle.

Squall skeptically scrutinized the man's appearance. _He looks like a strong guy…maybe an outlaw of some sort. He sure doesn't look like a SeeD or of anything in that occupational range. Who is he?_

The leather-clad male strolled casually towards the door with everyone watching his every move.

He extended a hand and heat circulated between his extended fingers into a fiery light. It grew larger and more ferocious, steadily growing into a controllable size. At full power, the fireball shot from his hand into the door blowing it right off its hinges. The alarms overhead sounded, and the sprinklers above them all sprayed on. He sidestepped, waiting a few moments for the stampede of feet from the residents to run past him before he chose to leave.

"Let's go!" Zell urged, grabbing a hold of Stacy's hand.

Selphie began to follow, but noticed that Squall had not moved from where he stood. She persisted, "Squall, what's the hold up? C'mon!"

"You better move out, unless you wanna die." The guy said to them. He flashed Selphie a flirtatious grin, but glanced at Squall and his weapon with piqued interest.

"Squall?" Selphie spoke again. Squall's eyes never left the man, sizing him up, deciding whether or not they should trust him.

The lion shook his head drawing himself from his daze and averted his attention to her, "Huh?"

"Squall, we have to go! Hurry up!" Her hand found his, dragging him out the door.

His Smartphone vibrated in his pocket a few times before he could answer it. He slid his finger across the screen putting it to his ear. "Riki, did you do it?"

"…_Yep, Angelus!_ _… fire department is… ready and in position! Everythin' is geared up… below."_ A young female voice chirped at the other end, but the clarity of the call crackled from lack of signal here. He noticed that signal was strangely few and far between in these parts nowadays.

"Perfect," Angelus responded, "That concludes your report. Now, is Selene in position?"

"_Yes, sir! She just called… and said that she managed to get… hold of our 'escape vehicle.' Selene is waitin' for us just blocks… from here; we can leave whenever you're ready." _Riki finished quickly before hanging up.

"Excellent_," _Angelus smirked. "Plan's in motion."

He made his way onto the rooftop, locating the old rickety fire escape attached to the side of the building that lead onto an streets below. Angelus addressed the civilians who stood waiting for their next order, "Listen up! Everyone get into line! We'll get down from he-"

Everything shook under him, and he had to maintain his footing after that blast. A screeching sound to his left made his head whip around to see the fire escape crash to the ground leaving everyone stranded and starting an uproar. Angrily, Angelus threw himself against a ledge to further investigate what caused the blast this time, but he stopped when he saw something glint in the shadows on another building across the street. It was hard to see, but he noticed something move carrying what looked like a weapon on their back.

A soldier. _They're shooting at civilians now!? _

The street below had large craters in the ash fault, and people were lying on the ground with limbs bent at odd angles presumably dead.

When his eyes shifted towards another building just down the block, he could see people standing dangerously close the edge of the roof. Angelus held his breath in horror, watching them jump off. He didn't have to wonder why people were on the ground like that now.

_Fucking morons!_

Quickly, he tried to get his mind back on track with the plan when he looked over and saw the fellow with the gunblade. Him and the pretty brunette were getting people into a single file on the other side. A fire fighter climbed up a ladder pulling people from the roof to get them to safety, but there were still too many, and this was already taking way too much time.

Angelus jumped right into action. "Hey! Over here!" He began grabbing at anything he could- people's shirts, limbs, bags, forcing them into line ups. The blond guy and the tall girl were doing the same.

Another explosion erupted from somewhere inside the building and fire blazed out from the emergency exit. Time was definitely running out, and they needed to get these people to the ground _fast._

"Hurry! Get out of here now!" Squall demanded, "All the woman and children first!"

"You heard the guy!" Angelus barked at the civilians.

_It's that guy again…_ Selphie thought watching him mimic Squall's actions.

"Move! Move! Move!" Angelus grabbed a woman's arm, thrusting her forwards.

_This is goin' nowhere! _Squall realized, _We need more support up here! __If only I could junction something! Damn, why did Garden take that ability away when I left?_

Maybe he didn't need a GF or support magic. Squall made for the ledge and called down to one of the firefighters over the sound of the roaring flames, "Hey! Get another ladder! This is going way too slow!" If he couldn't use any summons or junction magic, he might as well to get the fire department to do something useful.

Angelus yelled next to him, "Do what the man says! We have too many people up here and not enough time! Hurry!"

The firefighter nodded, grabbing onto a small child that Selphie passed off to him. When he got to the bottom, he called for a few more guys who began assembling another ladder.

Ambulance trucks rushed into the chaotic streets with their sirens blaring throughout the neighbourhood. Their doors burst open with medics to aid all the people who were foolish enough to jump off the sides of the building. Stretchers came out with two medics carrying them at a time and getting right to work.

Soon enough, the ladder was all set to go as it cranked its way up to the rooftop. People rushed towards it. Adding the second ladder proved to speed up the process, while Selphie and Zell quickly assembled the other half of the group into a single line.

When the last person had climbed off, relief came over the five of them. The worst was now over, and they could escape with most of the hassle left behind them.

"Good work!" Angelus congratulated Squall with a friendly pat on the back, but he shrugged off the gesture. He gave Squall a perplexed look for his standoffish behavior. Squall didn't really care about his efforts, and didn't want to be his friend, either.

"Okay…" Angelus was slightly offended, but more so surprised. He seemed to dismiss it a moment later when it was his turn to escape.

_I need to keep my eye on him. _Squall mentally noted.

By the time he got to the ground level himself, Squall could see medical staff caring for his neighbours. Some reunited with worried family and friends embracing in tearful hugs. He felt out of place here. It wasn't like he had anyone who would be embracing or congratulating him on his heroics. The only person he had that even remotely cared about his safety was Zell, who had just put his own life in danger as well. A memory he tried desperately to keep locked away quickly replayed in his mind.

_Don't push me away! I'm tryin' to mend things now! For this to work we need to-_

_Fuck you, I don't need you! I never have. I've been fine all these years on my own!_

Maybe somewhere someone _did _care for him, but he was too stubborn and proud to let it come to that. He was right then, and he was fine now. He just needed to rely on himself to get out of this city.

Before anger made his blood boil, Squall sighed and kept his mind on what he had to do.

He came out of his trance to a popping sound. His gaze snapped up when something whizzed by his face. Screams echoed through the streets as civilians and medical staff were getting shot at. Smart people were seeking shelter behind cars, in alleyways, or anything that provided adequate cover. Adeline kicked in, and Squall jumped right into action with his gunblade drawn and ready.

Squall's attention focused on where the shots opened up, finding three or four men relentlessly opening fire, and three others slashing at random people with lightweight katanas. Squall had leapt right into a deadlock with a swordsman closest to him.

"Fuck…" Angelus muttered, tightly gripping the handle to his own weapon and entering the fight, too.

_Katana's are weak, _Squall analyzed. The only real advantage was their weight, which didn't hinder the speed of the user at all.

Their other two opponents were very aware of what was going on, not hesitating to back up their comrade.

Squall attempted to take all three on himself. They were persistently getting knocked down, just to get right back up again.

He struck horizontally down onto the first soldier's blade, and then spun around to engage into a deadlock with the second, while at the same time keeping his eye out for the third. The third soldier thought he was smart, taking advantage of Squall's distraction.

Just as his blade came down on the lion, it stopped midway to collide with another.

"Three against one? Now _that _isn't fair!" Angelus taunted, staring straight into his opponent's eyes.

"Whatever…" Squall muttered, applying more force in his next attack that sent his enemy flying backwards. He recovered quickly with renewed vigor, relentlessly whipping his blade around in a series of attacks. Squall parried the man's blows, trying to find an opening in his stance that he could utilize.

Angelus managed to lacerate one in the stomach, blood sputtering out of the man's mouth as his body went limp. He smirked at what looked like a winning battle for his side. With one additional hit, his foe was down to the ground lifeless.

"One down, two to go." He counted, locking his eyes onto his next target.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And there we have it. I totally missed a week of posting last week because I'm currently writing the second half of this story, and its been taking up a lot of time. This chapter and the next were meant to be one, but when I looked at it last night it was like almost 20 pages! I had to split them up, and the next one will probably be up later this week or early next (Hopefully).

Anyways, you guys met Angelus. He's one of my characters that plays a huge role in the story for the most part. You may notice as we go on some similarities between Squall, Seifer, and himself. That's the only clue I'll give ya!

Anyways, happy reading!

(EDITED ON NOVEMBER 10TH, 2015)


	6. Phase V: Escape From Here

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase V<strong>

**Escape From Here**

**Dollet Dukedom/ Westside **

**September 29****th****, 2009. 0137 hrs**

_Okay, Dollet is falling apart, people are dying, and I need to do something! I can't just stand here and let this happen! I have to he- _That's when someone grabbed onto Selphie's arm dragging her behind a parked car. "H-hey!" she protested, almost tripping over her own feet.

She looked up seeing Stacy next to her, both of them embraced by Zell's strong arms. Bullets flew and ricocheted off the car's body chipping off paint. An explosion of glass showered onto them from a bullet hitting the window just above their heads.

"What the _fuck_?!" Zell quickly peered through the open space that used to be the window. He could see Squall deeply engaged in battle with some black clad soldiers. He looked to be holding up well.

The black haired guy they had met in the building was fighting along side him, killing one soldier and then assaulting another. Civilians were getting shot at or killed by the relentless wave of gunfire- even some of the medics were getting hit.

Stacy couldn't breathe, her heart pounded, and her body ached. She clawed at Zell's sweater, feeling her eyes burn with tears from overwhelming emotions. "Make this stop!" she pleaded hysterically. She _hated _this. She was never a fighter. Not even in Trabia. She had outright refused to go with Selphie to become a SeeD. She _hated _war. Stacy couldn't take much more of this.

"It's gonna be alright…" Zell assured the redhead, pulling her closer to him. Zell, who was usually all for a good fight, felt totally defenseless against this enemy. If he went out there he would be just as good as anyone else lying on the ground that'd been shot. He was in the same position as the civilians here.

_What are we going to do? _Selphie thought, _…I hope Squall is okay. _ Her eyes suddenly shot over to her right to the sound of a man screaming bloody murder from a gunshot wound to the leg. Overwhelming anger overcame her, and she couldn't sit here anymore. She needed to do something _now!_ Selphie squirmed out of Zell's grasp, and to this he reacted by locking his limb tightly around her to prevent her from leaving. That's when her teeth sunk into his forearm making him swear loudly and release her.

"Oh my Hyne!" Stacy cried out, tightening her grip on Zell's sweater. They watched the small brunette abandon them dashing off with her Nunchaku in hand. "Selphie, _no!_"

_I can't take it anymore! I don't care if I'm as useless as Zell in this battle. I have to fight! I can't just run away! _She sprinted towards the battle and disappearing into the madness. Zell gulped fearing that Selphie was going to be killed.

Bullets flew at her, yet she dodged them with ease as if they were just mere rocks that someone was throwing at her. That's when a man came running into her, causing her to stumble and collapse to the cement. She fell on her arms, scraping the skin on her elbows. People were running past her, falling around her, tripping over her. She scampering to her feet, but a woman came at her pushing her down again.

Stray bullets were fired into the dirt near Selphie's face. Green eyes slowly peeled open to the sound of boots stomping right beside her.

To her surprise, a young girl around her age stood proactively in front of her with a heavy machine gun. Her black hair was tired back into a ponytail and layered bangs crowded her face. Her eyes were an odd violet, and her nose had a small silver loop in it. Her cropped camouflage pants had many pockets possibly used to store additional ammunition. She wore heavy Doc Martin combat boots that matched the color of her black tank top. Her frame was fairly petite standing at 5'2 just like Selphie.

Her bullets drove onto the bodies of her enemies who had fallen to the ground in agony or lifeless. Blood spattered all over the place in a miniature massacre with the bodies of men lying around them. Everything went quiet for a moment, and the girl pouted trying to listen for any sounds of life. After a few moments, the stampede of feet hitting pavement had faded indicating that the civilians caught in the crossfire that survived had made it to safety. This left Selphie, Stacy, Zell and this mystery girl alone in the street.

The humor and triumph in her expression oddly contrasted with their current surroundings, and the girl just smirked at the sight. "Take _that_, bitches!"

"Th-thanks," Selphie spoke, getting to her feet while dusting dirt from her clothing and skin.

"No prob. You okay?" Selphie noted the accent in her voice recognizing the unmistakable galbadian drawl. She sounded similar to the man who was fighting along side Squall right now.

Selphie nodded. "You don't mind if I ask who you are, do you?"

She offered her hand just then, "The name's Riki Callahan."

"Selphie Tilmitt." Selphie grinned, shaking it.

"Selphie, are you okay?" Zell shouted hotly. She twisted around, providing him with a very sheepish grin.

"Selphie, do _not _ever do that again! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Stacy freaked out.

"Uh…who are you?" Zell asked hesitantly, referring to Riki.

"No time for that, Blondie!" Riki answered abruptly, turning towards the battle that Angelus was having. She sighed at his predictability. That battle was unnecessary in the grand scheme of this mission, and he _knew_ time was running out to meet with Selene.

Angelus blocked three more attacks that the soldier slashed his way catching sight of Riki in his peripheral vision.

Squall and Angelus found themselves practically back to back panting lightly from the fight. Angelus turned his head slightly to Squall, "We need to finish this up quick. Have any ideas?"

"In fact…" Squall said, "I do."

Squall embraced the power building inside of him that made his heart beat rapidly, pumping blood harder into his veins. He took in a deep breath trying to gain control of this adrenaline rush. He needed his whole body for this next attack. When he let out an exhale, his strikes spend up at such a rapid rate that it felt like haste was cast on him ten times over.

Squall almost flew into his enemy knocking the weapon from his hands, and it skidded away on the ground far from his grasp. The enemy was stiff for about a second before Squall had ducked, tripped him, and spun his body around as the blue blade collided into the man's shoulder and tore him apart. Blood sprayed from his body leaving the solider to grow limp and fall to the ground at Squall's feet.

The soldier Angelus was fighting backed up in fear and shuddered in horror witnessing his comrade's shambled body. His feet shuffled away from him until he lost his balance and fell on his ass. Angelus crept up to him, and the man's world went dark with only the sound of metal cutting air inviting him into death.

Squall straightened up and examined the body of the man before him. He let out a steady breath and suddenly remembered the SeeD exam in this very city. It still felt foreign to him from the two years of inactivity on the battlefield, but something told him that these attacks were just a smaller picture to a whole different one; a significantly _larger_ one. He needed to fight to survive, and he had a feeling that this was going to be routine from now on.

"How could you?" Stacy stormed towards him. Nonchalantly, Squall turned to see the Selphie's friend stomp her way over to him until she was up in his face. Her fist lifted, and she pounded it against his chest repeatedly. All he could do was scowl at her.

She looked up at him, black mascara smudged around her eyes from crying, "How could you show no remorse for someone you just killed? You act as if it were no big deal! What the _fuck _is wrong with you!?"

"He was the enemy. He killed a lot people and was a dangerous threat to us all." Squall explained with not a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Still! What you did was wrong!" She sobbed and buried her face into her hands.

"Stacy…" Selphie called her, standing nearby.

_It was them or me. This is a battlefield. You can't think of remorse when he's got a blade in his hand ready to attack. You have to act, and then pretend it doesn't bother you. Eventually you get desensitized by the fighting. It becomes a way of life. If you let the world see your emotions, you become weak. I'm _not _weak. _Squall defended himself, but didn't dignify Stacy's words with a reply vocally. His blue eyes just stared at the hysterical girl like she was some kind of anomaly.

"How could…you? How…" she continued, but felt a gloved hand touch her shoulder. The girl turned to see not Squall standing behind her, but the black haired man smirking and offering her his sympathy.

"He probably does care," Angelus' multicolored eyes met Squall's blue ones, "but he must be a soldier of some kind, so he can't show how he really feels about the situation."

"Am I correct…?" Angelus asked Squall, who didn't show any interest in this conversation.

"Whatever." Squall let out, moving away from the sobbing girl and walked right past him.

"What's his deal?" Angelus asked Zell.

Zell shrugged, "Don't mind him, he's always like that."

"Sur-" Angelus was suddenly cut off to the sound of a gigantic blast that blew out of the entrance of a nearby bank.

Piercing screams broke out into the streets again as civilians rushed out of the building. A stampede of civilians came darting towards them in such chaos that the group split up leaving Selphie and Stacy in the crowd.

Selphie was too short and couldn't see above most people's heads, and they kept pushing her around. She found trouble keeping her balance.

"Where all going to die!" a man panicked sprinting between Selphie and Stacy running off into some unknown direction. She wasn't sure where these people all came from exactly. It was like a tidal wave had hit them, and they were being washed away with the tide.

Selphie located her friend and reached for Stacy's hand forcing her body forward. "Stacy, hold on! I'll get you!"

"Selphie!" The look of horror never left Stacy's face. A larger man pushed past her, and when he had disappeared, so did Stacy. Selphie's heart pounded against her chest, and suddenly she felt like she couldn't even breathe. Panic rose into her throat, and it felt like someone was squeezing her neck constricting her airflow.

"Stacy? STACY!" Selphie finally screamed out, but her outburst was drowned out by the distress and the screams of others.

Squall turned around stopping in place for a moment. He searched around, knowing that he heard someone call out Stacy's name. The high pitch shriek immediately put a name to the voice. _Selphie_. She needed help, and he wasn't going to let her die here.

"Squall, where are you goin'!?" Zell shouted after him, but got no response in return. He only watched his friend disappear into the crowd to find Selphie.

She struggled against the bodies, but couldn't find her friend. Selphie tried calling out again, but there was no reply. Fed up, she pushed people back and was promptly knocked to the ground hard. She was small and tired, and her body couldn't take much more of this abuse. The soles of shoes and boots stomped down on her limbs making her cry out. She instinctively covered her head to prevent a serious injury, but her arms were being bruised and cut up. Nobody could hear or see her now.

She was just about to lose hope when a gloved hand latched onto her arm and forced her upwards. Selphie's green eyes snapped open and let the person take her away. They were practically dragging her to safety. When she looked up she could see brown hair, a black vest, and toned muscular arms. _Squall…?_

"You okay?" He asked her when they got out of the fuss, into a clear area away from the crowd, and off to the side of the street. "Where's Stacy?"

"She…she disappeared! She got lost in the crowd! I don't- I don't know where she went!" The girl began to panic.

"Calm down!" He snapped, "We're going to find her! But we need to get to the others first!" His hand found hers arm again, and he began to make his away down a different street.

Selphie protested by yanking at her arm that made Squall stop, "But Squall!"

"Shut up! I sure as hell don't wanna die here because of you!" He barked back and continued to move.

* * *

><p>"<em>Fuck<em>! Someone must've set off a grenade in the bank!" Riki cursed, "Who in their right _fuckin'_ mind would do that?"

Smoke and dust lingered in the air. The beams and brick of the building began to come apart and crumble.

"It's going to collapse! Run!" Angelus warned both Zell and Riki. He feared the wellbeing of the other three who were still somewhere in that crowd.

* * *

><p>"<em>Shit!"<em> Squall shouted at the sight of the bank and stopped again. There was too much chaos, and he needed to change his objective right now. But he knew Selphie wasn't going to like it. Fuck it- like he cared what she thought right now anyway.

"Squall?" Selphie said looking up at him expectantly.

"Forget it! Let's go!" he shouted at her.

The girl's eyes widened, "What? How about Zell?"

Squall argued, "We can find him after! If we stay, we'll just die here!"

"No! We can't leave our friends behind!" she retorted.

* * *

><p>Angelus took out his phone and dialed a number quickly, "Selene, we need to get out of here. Pick us up at the corner of Casburn and Letto Avenues!"<p>

_"Roger that, boss!"_ She replied and hung up right away.

"What!? We can't leave without the others!" Zell exclaimed.

Angelus snapped back, "Do you _like_ the idea of your body being under the rubble of this city? Would you _want _this to be your graveyard?"

The blonde gulped down hard, and his eyes widened at Angelus' request.

"Our escape vehicle should be here soon…" Angelus assured him, but his eyes caught something in the distance- something coming towards them. He realized who it was, relieved to see that the small brown haired chick made it out okay.

"Squall!" Zell greeted, relieved that his friends were fine. Squall weaved his way through the dispersing crowd holding onto Selphie's arm tightly. But to Zell, something wasn't right. Stacy wasn't with them.

"So, he made it out alive." Angelus smirked.

"Hey, where's Stacy!?" Zell shouted.

"We lost her." Squall answered instead of the small brunette.

"_What!?" _His outburst was something Squall didn't want to deal with right now. "What happened!?"

"We got separated, and she disappeared. I…I don't know where she went…We have to find her!" Selphie was hysterical now.

"Selphie…we can't." Squall growled, aggravated.

"What? But you sai-"

"The odds are slim in finding her and surviving!" Squall shouted in frustration.

Zell could have sworn he could see tears rimming Selphie's eyes, but not a single tear fell. He could see the wheels turning in her head as her big green eyes went wide at Squall's outburst. Squall on the other hand looked almost flustered, but still maintained a stern tone with her. That was it then; they had to leave Stacy behind.

_Stacy... _Selphie thought and felt guilt swallow her whole. She felt her eyes burning, but couldn't give Squall the satisfaction of making her cry. Squall wouldn't have cared regardless. He was never good with emotions, especially from others.

"Don't worry. We'll come back for her as soon as possible. All we need to do is remain calm." Angelus spoke up, and he walked over to her feeling sympathetic for her loss.

"No!" She burst out in a heap of anger, "I'm not leaving my friend behind! I almost lost her once, and I won't make that same mistake again!"

"Selphie!" Squall growled under his breath. His eyes casting a threatening glare her way.

"She's probably okay. I think she's strong enough to take care of herself, right? Who else would have the balls to tell Squall off to his face?" Zell half joked, trying to lighten the tense mood.

"Don't you understand?" Selphie snapped glaring into Angelus' eyes disregarding his attempt to make her feel better. "I can't just leave someone I care about behind! How could I _ever_ forgive myself? I'd rather die than lose my best friend!" She exclaimed. Squall groaned.

"I guess there's only one way of doing this then…" Angelus sighed. He touched her shoulder and whispered a spell under his breath. The spell made her eyes grow heavy and her body limp within seconds. The ex-SeeDs recognized it as a sleep spell. As her body began to crumble from lack of support, Angelus caught her just before she hit the ground and picked her up.

"Hey!" Zell snapped, "What do ya think your doin'?"

"If I didn't put her to sleep, she would have run off to find her friend. That's the last thing we need right now."

"It's for the best, Zell," Squall agreed. Even if Angelus was right, he still didn't like him.

A black pick up truck pulled up not too far away with a blonde woman in the driver's seat. Riki smirked and jerked her thump gesturing towards it. "Our ticket outta here has just arrived." She said in a singsong voice that was way out of context for this situation. The girl didn't even acknowledge the bewildered looks on Squall and Zell's faces when she turned around and made for the truck.

"Finally," muttered Angelus who began to follow still holding Selphie in his arms.

"Hey!" Zell called.

"Where do you think your going with Selphie?" Squall shouted after him. Lionheart shimmered a threatening blue when Squall pointed it right at him ready for a fight.

Angelus wasn't the least bit threatened by this and had no intention to fight. He also looked slightly confused though. "Uhhh…aren't you coming?

The two looked questioningly at each other. Was he inviting them along?

Angelus sighed. He honestly didn't care if the two of them came with them, but he might as well of asked out of courtesy. "Listen, if you guys have a plan of your own in getting out of here, that's great and all…I'll just give back the chick, and we'll be on our marry way."

"N-no!" Zell objected abruptly, "H-hang on! We're comin', too!"

_"What?" _Squall jerked his head to the side at this remark. He didn't appreciate the fact that he didn't have a say in this. But then again this was Zell after all.

Zell smiled sheepishly in response to the lion's glare, "Yeah, we're comin' with you guys. It's the only choice we have in gettin' outta here, right?."

Zell laughed nervously walking right past him to follow Angelus who getting into the back of the truck. Squall scowled and followed him as well, but not without shoving the blonde buffoon hard in the back.

_I don't need this Angelus' guys help. I can handle this on my own. First chance I get, I'm taking off._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **And finally they are about to leave Dollet. You also met Riki Callahan, which sums up the three members of Naperic's Faction. In about a chapter or two, the story is really going to kick off. It just gets more fast paced from here now that most things have been established. As for the original cast, they will be slowly making appearances and playing essential roles in the story as well.

Thanks for those who have reviewed, and keep reviewing! I like to know what you think!

Happy Reading!


	7. Phase VI: A Whole New World

****Disclaimer: ****I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase VI<strong>

**A Whole New World **

**Dollet Dukedom/Hasberry Plains **

**September 29****th****, 2009. 0236 hrs**

The communication tower stood tall on the cliff as if it was giving them an eerie reminder that Dollet had fallen. The sky was a deep purple, which indicated the sun was soon to peak out from its resting place in the sky within a few hours. They were just about forty-five minutes out of the Dollet Dukedom border making their way west from here. The rush of cars took to the main roads out of the city in a gridlock traffic jam, but the blonde driver had chosen a route off the beaten path.

Zell has taken up a spot in the three-person passenger seat in the cab of the old Dodge pick up truck between Riki and the driver.

Squall sat quietly next to Selphie who was still fast asleep and oblivious to their current plan of action. He looked over at her sleeping figure slumped against the corner of the truck closest to the cab and stifled a yawn. He blinked feeling tears of exhaustion dampen his tired eyes. The night had taken a lot out of him, and every time he tried to fall asleep the vehicle jolted him awake from driving over the uneven road.

* * *

><p>"Hey, I know you!" Zell jumped when he realized who the blonde woman was. "You were that chick from the club that Squall helped."<p>

The blonde girl giggled, amber eyes fixated on the road ahead of her. "Yes, that was I. Thanks to your friend, we wouldn't have been able to continue with our mission."

"_Mission_?" Zell asked.

"To escape Dollet and head to Deling City," grumbled Riki next to him, who had been trying to sleep with her head against the window.

"What's in Deling City?"

"Ya sure ask a lot of questions, don't 'cha?" Riki lifted her head to glare at him. "Well, _we're_ from Deling City. Our group, I mean."

"Your group?" Zell raised a brow.

"The Naperic resistance group. Made up of Selene, Angelus, and me. We're a group who run underground missions."

"Underground? Like what?"

"We oppose the government and its laws. Galbadian federal and municipal laws take from the people, so we take it back. We work under the table in espionage with other factions 'round the world."

"You mean to tell me you three do illegal work?"

"Whoa, Whoa, whoa!" Riki interjected, waving her hand defensively, "It's not exactly _illegal! _ It's just managin' the legal dudes! Monitorin' government activity, plannin', and makin' deals. We also make sure the mafia and gangsters don't do stupid shit that can cost us our asses."

"We even get offers to go on missions such as coming to Dollet to gather information." Selene explained.

"Gather info, huh?" Zell cocked a suspicious eyebrow. "What kind of info?"

"We've been on the trail of the person in charge of the attack for some time now. Angelus got word of somethin' like this from some underground factions who overhead soldiers talkin' 'bout it. They said 'Dollet', so we had to come. We didn't find much, though." Riki explained further, slightly frustrated with all the questions.

"Angelus made sure that we investigated Dollet's underground resistance, and we managed to find a list of times and locations. We didn't know what it meant until tonight." Selene said. Zell assumed she was the more patient one of the two.

"Apparently, the attacks were set just minutes after each other. Selene had gone to the club to find anyone who looked suspicious enough to fit a profile. I was investigatin' at a nearby office buildin'. It was apparently the fourth attack and was set 20 minutes after the club was targeted." Riki said.

"Shit…but why are these places bein' targeted?" Zell asked.

Selene shook her head as she effortlessly jerked the steering wheel to the right and continued down the dirt road. "If only we knew…"

"Fuck…" Zell muttered, punching the worn upholstered leather of the seat next to him.

* * *

><p>Angelus watched Squall with interest. The younger man looked tired and worn out with closed eyes and rhythmic breaths. He liked the way the kid fought- with calculated precision and passion. Squall couldn't have been an ordinary teenager, but a soldier of some kind. He had to be. Angelus had heard of a few guys wielding gunblades, but because the weapon was difficult to learn he knew of nobody at least within the Underground Association that wielded one. He <em>did<em> happen to know of a guy who helped a resistance group in Timber who had one, but they never got the opportunity to ever meet in person.

But this man looked no older than nineteen. He remembered his friends calling him Squall…

"So, your name's Squall, right?" the black haired man asked, striking up a conversation.

"Yeah, and what of it?" Squall responded coldly.

"Just asking," Angelus replied after an extended pause. "The name's Skyros Angelus. People just address me by my last name."

"Whatever…" Squall said with his signature phrase of disinterest.

"You must be from Galbadia. You look Galbadian," Angelus curiously scrutinized him, "Where you from?"

"That's none of your business." He answered, glaring at him now. Squall figured he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

"Okay…" He thought of approaching this differently now. His multicolored eyes flashed over to the women sleeping next to Squall. "Is she your girlfriend?"

He dealt him a glare. "No."

Angelus smirked to this. "Good then. She's pretty hot if you know what I mean."

Squall had already established that he didn't like this guy, but secretly had to agree with him. Selphie's new look had attracted his attention when they first ran into each other at the club, but he couldn't stand the way she acted during their escape. And he wasn't about to satisfy Angelus by openly admitting this either. He scowled, "No, I don't know what you mean."

"Tough luck, then," shrugged the black haired man, positioning himself back against the side of the pickup truck. "I guess it's easy to say that there won't be any competition to claim her heart, now will there?"

"Whatever." He honestly just wanted this guy to shut up so he could get some fucking sleep.

Angelus chuckled to the lion's distrust towards him and found it very understandable. To Squall, he was just a guy who picked him and his friends off the streets of destruction. The last thing he was going to do was trust a man whom he just met only hours ago. The Naperic leader dismissed his behavior altogether finding it quite amusing.

"We're off to Deling City, if you don't already know."

"Deling City?" Squall echoed.

"Yeah," he let out with a hint of pride, "I like to call it 'The City of Origin'."

"Why?"

"Well, I was not only born and raised in Deling City, but our little resistance group also originated there."

"You mean to tell me you and the other two are part of a resistance group?" This was the first bit of information Squall had gotten from the leader of the small rag tag group since he agreed to go with them. He wondered how transparent they were going to be with their plans from here on out.

"Yep." The black haired man replied, "We are considered one of the best underground resistance groups in Galbadia. Our obligation is to work with other underground factions and one day overthrow the federal government."

"So, you're a rebel group." Squall stated firmly, raising a skeptical brow.

"You make us sound like a bunch of criminals! You can say we're the 'authority of the underground'." He added air quotes to that last bit before continuing with his explanation, "We manage the ways of the gangs and other groups, so they don't do something completely stupid that could get the cops onto us. We do reconnaissance missions or, when push comes to shove, we fight. We are kind of like a private military organization if you will. We fight for the people against the government. And one day, we will overthrow them completely and start a _better_ government."

The question of transparency was slightly answered with that long-winded description, but Squall was still skeptical about their intentions. Why was he telling him all this so freely?

"What was the reason for you to be in Dollet, if you're actually stationed in Deling City?" Squall asked.

"Well," Angelus sighed, "You're in way over your head in all this already and know too much for your own good. There is no point in hiding anything from you, now is there?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Okay," Angelus leaned in. His eyes locked onto his in all seriousness. "I'll answer under one condition. You and your friends join my faction."

"What?" Squall had hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Angelus relaxed and leaned back again. "Then again, you can be left behind anywhere I please, and then you're completely screwed."

"I mean, we're almost, what? Two miles away from Dollet? I guess you can go back there if you really wanted to, but I _highly_ doubt anyone there can help you. You'd be back to square one, and we'd all be escaping to safety in Deling City." Squall weighed the pros and cons of all this.

"It's really up to you. So…" His brown and blue eyes rested on Selphie's sleeping figure again. "What's it gonna be, _Scarface_?"

Squall felt like he was making the decision for all three of them, which didn't seem fair at first. It reminded him of his SeeD days as their squad leader and then their commander. Everything was always on him. He was again being put on the spot. Squall glanced at Selphie's curled up figure. _I hope you'll understand when you wake up. This is all we can do for now._

"Fine. I, as well as my comrades, will join your faction. Now tell me why you were in Dollet."

Angelus grinned delightfully. "I never thought you'd actually say yes, but onto the main course, shall we?"

"Riki, Selene, and I were to go to Dollet because we'd gotten a lead on something about to go down there. A fellow group of ours overheard some of Caraway's goons discussing a series of events. We did some digging and managed to find a list of locations and times. At first we had no idea what the hell it meant, and then the Dollet factions had supplied us with a specific date. We worked with them to cover all the locations on that list when the city was attacked. Selene, as you already know, had been at the club. Riki was at an office building. I was at your apartment complex."

"Our primary objective was to find the guy in charge of planning it thinking he may have been commanding those black clad soldiers. Yet, we failed." Angelus concluded.

"So, you believed he was in Dollet." The brunette said.

Angelus growled then, "Yeah, but the bastard was too smart for us. He's hiding out somewhere far away from Dollet. I just don't know where yet."

"…then we can help you." Squall looked next to him seeing Selphie stir. She'd been paying attention.

"Selphie." Squall called to her.

"Good, you were listening the whole time." Angelus looked pleased.

Selphie rubbed her eyes to diminish the sleep that still resided there. "Not all of it. Just when you began to explain the reason why you were in Dollet."

"In order for me to talk, Scarface here had to volunteer you three over to the Naperic resistance group." Angelus informed her. His eyes were full of amusement when he saw the disapproving frown on Squall's face.

Selphie's tone sounded determined regardless of the fact that she was still feeling the affects of the sleep spell, "If that's gonna bring Stacy back, so be it."

"Perfect. It's settled," Angelus smirked, "Welcome to the resistance group, and get ready for a new mission!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I figured that since this chapter was shorter than the rest, I'd post it for you lovelies before Monday. I'm trying to do one to two chapter updates a week as this story is quite long. I'm already writing chapter 25. My goal is to finish the first draft of the whole story by christmas.

On another note, when I get the whole Image manager thing sorted out, I got quite the treat for ya. I digitally painted a promotional artwork for this series that will eventually be one of many. When I tried uploading it, it got all crazy and cropped it all weird. I do promise I'll figure that out soon. Hint: It can be a small teaser for a later chapter. Nothing too huge of a spoiler, I promise.

I hope everyone's enjoying it so far because I know I am! Anyways, now we know the intentions of the Naperic group and why they were in Dollet in the first place. Squall still doesn't like Angelus, and Selphie wants to kick some ass to avenge her friend.

Next stop is in Deling City. What will they find there I wonder?

HAPPY READING! :D


	8. Phase VII: Briefing

****Disclaimer: ****I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase VII<strong>

**Briefing **

**Deling City, Galbadia/Shopping District**

**October 3****th****, 2009. 2152 hrs**

Deling City, Galbadia's capital, was the largest city on the continent that only had about ten days of sunlight a year. The streets were always crowded with people oblivious as to what was really going on under the surface of superficial lifestyles and pretty architecture. They walked down the paved sidewalks laughing and toting multiple shopping bags from designer stores. Luxury cars from various manufacturers lined the streets on a two-lane road. The air was thick from bus exhaust as they drove down their designated routes.

The store windows lit up to showcase whatever product the shop was trying to sell. Women ogled at the designer coats and boots on posing mannequins, which were freshly styled for the upcoming winter season.

Squall hadn't been in the city in a while and forgot how populated it could be. He recalled the last time he had come here was just over a year ago at the insistence of Irvine to celebrate his 18th birthday. Even then the city streets hadn't been this busy with pedestrians.

Riki sang as she walked arm-in- arm with Selene, "It's good to finally be home again!"

Selphie had a smile lingering on her lips as her eyes were naturally attracted to the women's fashion labels.

"We haven't been here in a while, eh Squall?" Zell asked him, treading not too far away with his hands in the pockets of his blue and black sweater.

"Never mind that. We need to find the guy who was in charge of the attacks in Dollet." Squall reminded them.

"We're staying in the Galbadia hotel for the night until we can locate where the Sahara group is. In the meantime, we are to hang tight at the bar area." Angelus informed the group walking ahead of them.

"Sahara?" Selphie asked, "Sounds kinda like a desert to me."

Selene giggled at her comment, "Sahara is our ally group. We correspond with them on a regular basis. They are the group who notified us about the attack."

The sound of Angelus' cell phone going off caught everyone's attention. He pulled it out and put it to his ear, "Hello?"

"_Hey man! Heard you're back in Deling!"_ A cheerful voice spoke into the other end.

"Cesar?" Angelus broke into a smile, "Hey, how did you find that out so soon? I haven't even been here for an hour and you already know?"

"Who is Cesar?" Selphie whispered to Selene.

"He's the leader of Sahara. He and Angelus go way back."

"_Even you should know that word travels fast here."_ He laughed. _"So, the reason I called you is 'cause I'm just chillin' here at the hotel bar by myself just drinking my cocktail. Where you at? We need to talk!"_

"Cocktail, huh?" Angelus chuckled, "And nothing's ever good after you say 'we need to talk'."

"_Always was the joker, Angelus. But seriously, I've got more stuff on the attacks that my groups dug up. You need to check this out."_

"Fine, I'll be on my way." His conversation concluded, and the line went dead.

"What was _that?"_ Zell asked him.

Angelus shoved his phone into the depths of his trench coat pocket. "Looks like we got some more info. It might even be a lead!" He looked excited and darted down the street for everyone to follow.

* * *

><p>"So, what's the deal with this Cesar guy?" Squall asked Angelus when they got to the hotel entrance.<p>

"An old friend; his group is a little more reconnaissance and a little less action. They overheard those soldiers, and we were set to deal with the rest."

Angelus strolled towards the counter striking up a conversation with the pretty receptionist. "Where can I find Cesar Lamont?"

"He said he will be waiting down in the bar area for you, Angelus," said the blonde woman with a smile.

"Thanks Danielle!" He winked and made his way in that direction just to the right of the foyer.

"He always gets like this…" Riki muttered, shaking her head to his predictability. Her statement had caught the attention of Zell, who just laughed.

"So what's this 'information' you guys dug up?" Angelus asked when everyone had slide into his or her seats in a circular booth. They had chosen a booth in the farthest corner of the bar away from eavesdropping ears and other patrons who were there to enjoy the fine dining and good liquor.

Cesar was Galbadian. His strong accent gave it away from moment he opened his mouth. He was an older man judging by the crow's feet that surrounded his brown eyes when he smiled. His strands was cropped short, but had enough dark brown hair to cover his entire scalp. He was of a medium build and had enough muscle mass to suggest he may have been a former soldier. It was no wonder that he was positioned as a spy for the Underground Association. Cesar blended into the common folk rather well wearing a brown leather jacket, blue dress shirt underneath, and faded jeans. Nobody could tell the difference.

"There's a guy code named 'Jenkins' who lives in the Timber Forest. His crib's some ol' shack or somethin' 'long those lines. A few nights ago, he found some corpses a couple kilometers away from his place with strange markins' on their bodies."

"Could it have been magic?" Zell questioned.

"Could be," he said, sipping his forth cocktail that night, "They _did_ have burns on their bodies, too. Wounds had these large slashes. Couldn't be some regular sword, I can tell ya that!"

"What sword can inflict fire on itself?" Angelus muttered, but only Squall heard him clearly.

"Someone could have junctioned fire to a physical attack." Squall stated.

"What?" Selphie's eyebrows rose.

"_Junctioned?"_ Zell echoed, "But only SeeD and cadets were able to do that. They took that away from us when Garden shut down!"

"Could it be?" Selphie asked amongst herself, Squall, and Zell hoping she could be wrong, "Could an ex-SeeD be the one who killed them?"

"No…"Squall muttered, "It's an ex-cadet…the only one who is ruthless enough to do such a thing."

"You think it's-" Zell exclaimed.

"Seifer?" Squall finally said, "It could be him. Sounds like a gunblade wound."

"But couldn't it be _another_ gunblade user?" Selphie asked.

Squall replied, "There aren't many gunblade specialist's left after the war. There weren't that many to begin with, anyway."

"So, you're saying you might know the guy who did it, Squall?" Angelus inquired, cocking a black brow at him. There was something about the name Seifer that rang a bell. Angelus racked his brain as to where he'd heard it before.

Squall glanced over at the Naperic leader, "Seifer wouldn't do such a thing if the person telling him what to do was weaker than he is. He must be working along side someone of higher authority."

"The Galbadian general, perhaps." Cesar cut in, drawing the group's attention to himself again.

"What does Caraway have to do with this?" Angelus asked.

"He might have some connection with what's goin' on in Galbadia. I mean, doesn't he always?"

Riki tilted her head, "If he commands the Galbadian army, he probably has some sort of input on the governmental matters of the nation. So…wouldn't he be aware of what happened in Dollet?"

"Wish I knew…" Cesar sighed, and leaned backed into his chair. "Our underground groups haven't found that out yet. They're still lookin', but they can't find anything suggestin' that Caraway was involved in this somehow. It's been three days and nothing."

"I say we bust in on the general's house and get our answers from him ourselves!" Zell suggested swatting the air with his fists for emphasis.

"That'd be stupid!" Angelus snapped, angrily, "If we did that, there's no doubt he'll get the cops involved. We would have to be slick, move silently through the shadows…"

"So, we gonna do it, Angelus?" Riki asked expectant for his answer.

"I-"

"That ain't a good idea," Cesar interrupted Angelus before he offered his opinion on the matter. "We don't got much proof that the general was the person who got those guys in Timber Forest killed or the reason the media hasn't address the attacks in Dollet at all. We can't bust 'em yet, the time is still young, and we got important matters to get to. I'll keep watch and report anythin' I see. As for you guys, you need to get to Timber ASAP and find out who…or what killed those guys."

"How we gonna get there?" Zell asked Cesar.

Selene smiled, "Well, there_ are _perks in working with the Underground. We have ties with different people."

"It's true. Call us one big happy family!" Riki chirped.

"And you three are part of us now, so get used to it." Angelus smirked. Squall didn't like the way that sounded. He felt like they owned them now.

"That's why I got you these," Cesar said pulling ticket stubs from his coat pocket and revealing them to the group in a fanlike orientation. "Tickets to Timber. You're train leaves first thing in the mornin'."

* * *

><p><strong>Deling City, GalbadiaSquall, Selphie and Zell's hotel room**

**October 4****th****, 2009.****0015 hrs**

"Timber." Squall muttered as he sat alone on the balcony of the hotel room he shared with Selphie and Zell. "I haven't been there since…"

"Since our first SeeD mission, yeah?" Selphie's voice said from behind him. He turned to see her leaning against the doorway still wearing her normal attire.

He nodded, reminiscing over all the events that occurred in Timber and the girl he met there two years ago. Rinoa had changed everything, and she's also crushed his heart in a million pieces after that.

Selphie continued, "I mean, it was Rinoa who started it all." The brunette took a few steps further onto the balcony to join him in the opposite chair. Her company wasn't really wanted welcomed, and he just wished to be alone for a while.

"Our first mission. We didn't know what to expect. We never thought we would get thrown into an all out war and the complexities of Galbadian politics."

"Yeah…" Squall had to agree with her there despite wanting her to leave.

That awkwardness between them never settled, and Selphie missed the days where they felt natural with each other- where animosity didn't exist between them. Now he ignored her and treated her like she did something wrong. Like he was punishing her for something. Regardless, she continued to hope that he would talk to her like he did that night in the quad.

Her green eyes gazed at him, her voice becoming softer, "Isn't it going to be hard to go back there, Squall?"

"Whatever…" he muttered, trying to act like he cared little for this conversation.

"I could tell…" She spoke after a moment's silence, and he turned his head in question.

"What?"

"You still love her, right?"

"That's why…" her eyes narrowed. "That's why you didn't keep in contact with me…am I right?"

Silence swallowed him whole.

"That night when you told me she cheated on you. And when you…"

Squall inhaled deeply and let out a loud-goaded sigh. She was partially right, but all he could do was watch her from the corner of his eye. Selphie was persistent, and for some reason he had a problem with that. "Selphie, what do you want?"

The conversation took an unexpected turn, and he was right to call her out on why she really wanted to talk to him. Selphie had lost her friend in exchange for her own life. In the past few years, a lot of people she cared about seemed to disappear or die due to the affects of war. She was sick of it already, but knew she still had to fight.

Putting aside the animosity she felt towards Squall for not answering any of her messages or calls over the past two years, the fact that he had left Stacy behind so easily just added to her anger. But besides all that, what had really needed to be addressed was that he had saved her life back there. The least Selphie could give him was her gratitude for his efforts.

"I guess I wanted to say thanks," she stated, curling up into a ball on the balcony chair and wrapping her arms around her knees. "If it wasn't for you I'd be a goner."

"If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead." Squall quipped. He was irritable again. She still didn't understand what she did to deserve this backlash from him. All she ever wanted to be was supportive of him. Selphie just wished she could figure him out. And all she really needed was to understand what was happening, or there lack of, between them.

"What the hell is your problem!?" She snapped watching Squall get up from his chair. "What did I do to deserve this?"

"Selphie, goodnight." He stated firmly as his feet lead him back inside, leaving the brunette to vent without any consolation.

She pouted staring at the city lights over the balcony banister. _I don't get you at all!_

* * *

><p><strong>0205 hrs<strong>

Squall lay in his bed later that night as the time ticked away on the bedside clock next to him. He sighed unable to sleep thinking over the conversation he had with Selphie earlier.

_I've closed myself off from the people around me again._

Rolling onto his side, Squall's eyes found Selphie curled up under the blankets on the bed next to his. Unlike her waking self, her face was a blank slate, and her smile was nowhere to be seen. It looked unnatural and foreign to not see emotion in her face. They'd done nothing but argue since they met each other again, and Squall wouldn't blame her for not smiling as much anymore.

_It's for the best…can't you see that?_

He now looked to the ceiling. His thoughts never ceased to run endless in his mind. _I can't believe it's been two years already. I remember my last days at Garden so clearly._

_The last two years have been rough to say the least. I…don't know if I'm completely over Rinoa. Weird thing was when I wasn't thinking about her, I kept thinking about that one night. Selphie sang to me, and then I stupidly took advantage of her kindness…_

_Selphie, I still don't know about you. You piss me off, but…fuck, I don't know. _

Squall grumbled burying his head under the down pillow. His face felt hot. He shifted and fell asleep that way. At least it was a temporary escape from reality.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hi Everyone! It's me again! So, in this chapter we met another interesting character. Cesar Lamont! He's a re-accuring guy, but very integral to the overall series! He's a veteran in the Underground and has been for almost twenty years.

Another name that was brought up was Jenkins. Anybody remember who that guy is? Haha.

I suggest you keep reading as the next few chapters are going to be pretty important. I love reviews, so don't be shy to drop a line!

Happy reading folks! I'll be posting the next one in a few days. Until then, enjoy!


	9. Phase VIII: Trial

******Disclaimer: ******I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase VIII<strong>

**Trial **

**Between Deling City, Galbadia and Timber Forest**

**October 8****th****, 2009. 1745 hrs**

Selphie always liked trains. The way they sped across the vast expanses of land so quickly that it made you wonder what was between point A and B. In Galbadia it was just fields and forests with the occasional lake. The sky had a hint of purple now, which was darker than usual. Winter was just a few short months away, and this part of the world usually got cold with snow. As for right now, the leaves were changing into reds and yellows that set the entire landscape on fire.

Her eyes were trained on the beauty of it all acting like a reminder that not all was a political mess in the world. It had been three days since they left Deling City with the occasional stop here and there at interim stations to refuel. The group had taken up board in various rooms. Selphie was currently rooming with her former SeeD companions as she did almost every night since they got tangled up in with the affairs of the resistance.

Squall and herself hadn't spoken much since the other night- hell, they weren't speaking much at all recently. Selphie was already fed up with his hostile behavior and decided to focus on something else for a change. There were three new people that they were traveling with, and since they were going to be together for a while, Selphie figured she'd try and get to know them.

They all seemed interesting enough. Riki specialized in mechanics, aliases, and alibis. Selene was Trabian coming to Galbadia to learn about medicine and healing magic. The three girls often found themselves in the dinning coach joking and talking to pass the time, while the guys were off doing god knows what.

It was a great distraction from what was really going on right now. Selphie kept trying to surround herself with people to cheer herself up over the whole Stacy thing. It was in times like these when she was alone that reminded her of her primary objective. Stacy was out there, and Selphie still needed to find her.

_I don't care what Squall or the others say. We will see each other again if it's the last thing I do. _

She sat at a small table in the coach that sold coffee and small packaged food. Her tea remained untouched and cold in front of her. Through the reflection of the window, Selphie could see her green eyes peering back at her. Dark circles indicated exhaustion, and small cuts on her face left over from Dollet's attack appeared to be healing well enough, but in no means did this make her look less pretty.

"Can I sit?" She heard Selene's familiar Trabian accent at the edge of the table. Selphie had learnt sometime within the last few days that Selene was from a small village in the mountains near the Trabian Crater being a true native of the north. Selphie on the other hand identified herself as a Trabian as well, but never picked up that accent as most people in Garden spoke in plain tongue.

Selphie gestured towards the other seat and smiled. She figured if she pretended that everything was okay, Selene wouldn't drill her with questions as to why Selphie sat here by herself away from everyone else. Well, she hoped it'd fool Selene.

"It's beautiful out there, is it not?" Selene's honey colored eyes glanced out the window to the landscape. Selphie nodded as she had been watching the landscape pass like a movie and wasn't nearly as interested anymore.

"You looked upset before." Selene didn't hesitate to point that out. Selphie mentally kicked herself. "Are you alright?"

Selphie faked enthusiasm that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, "Yeah! Oh, yeah! I'm great. Just thinkin' I guess."

"About your friend?" Selene was right on the money.

_Fuck, she's good. _

Selphie let out a sigh laced with a chuckle, "Yeah. I guess. I mean, she's still out there, and I hope she's okay."

"Pray."

Selphie blinked, "Pray?"

Selene nodded, "If you do, someone above will listen to you and make sure it happens. My father tells me that when I go through hardships."

She thought it over and bobbed her head thoughtfully, "Okay. I'll try that thanks."

"Anyways," Selene's face went serious. "Finish up your tea, and come with me. We have a faction meeting in Angelus' room."

* * *

><p>When they reached the room everyone was lounging around; their laughter and loud outbursts could be heard from the hallway. The three distinct voices came from Angelus, Zell, and Riki.<p>

Angelus and Zell sat across from each other playing a round of Triple Triad with Riki sitting off to the side. Despite nearing the end of the match, the three didn't seem to be paying that much attention judging by the conversation they were having.

"Hey, we're gonna stop off in the middle of nowhere, right?" Riki asked Angelus.

"Yeah, which means you have to get out your hiking boots." Angelus smirked, placing a weaker level card down.

"Fuck that! I ain't walking in no woods!" Riki exclaimed.

"That's the only way to get in there."

"Well, I'm gonna fly in there or somethin', I just don't wanna go in the woods!" Riki raised both palms in the air defensively.

"What are you _scared_ of?" Angelus asked in amusement. "Bears?"

"Fuck no!"

"It's probably bugs, eh? She'll start screamin' like a little girl!" Zell laughed, placing another card down to overtake his.

"Hey! Shut your trap!" She snapped at the blonde.

Riki felt a hand ruffle her dark hair affectionately. Her eyes peered up between her bangs to see Angelus' grin, "We're only kidding, kid. Don't take it seriously."

"I'm not a kid!" Riki protested.

Selphie and Selene joined in on the laughter and sat down on the couch. She looked around the room and found Squall lying on the bottom bunk looking like he was trying to sleep. It was just like him to not partake in the fun. He always wanted to be alone.

Her attention turned back to Angelus moments later to him raising a triumphant fist. "I'm taking your Shiva card!"

"No! Man, you can have any other card." Zell begged. "Just not that one!"

"It's mine, Blondie." Angelus plucked it from the selection of cards and slid it into his desk. "Don't be a sore loser."

Angelus noted everyone's attendance just then and got right to it. "Good. Shall we begin?"

"Finally." Squall muttered sitting up from his position on the bed. "Couldn't stand hearing anymore of your nonsense."

"Squall's just a party pooper." Riki waved him off, "Anyways, the mission is to meet up with this Jenkins guy, right?"

"Jenkins lives in a shack?" Selphie asked, "What significance does he have to the mission?"

"He's a scout." Angelus explained, "He looks after the Timber Forest. The resistance movement in Timber is still quite active. Some strange things have been happening there lately."

"Aside from Galbadia's takeover of Timber?" Zell added, "That's not so strange since it's been goin' on for a while now."

Angelus leaned back in his chair, "I used to run with the factions there. This time passenger trains have been redirected to another stop west of there. Galbadia station hasn't had trains depart directly to Timber for a few months now."

"So, we're gonna find out why." Squall said, raising a brow.

Angelus locked eyes with him from across the room, "More like we need to find out what's going on in that city. Jenkins reported that he found bodies in the forest, remember?"

"How we gonna do this then?" Riki seemed excited to get this underway.

Angelus stood up and regarded the whole group, "We go in as a group, but when we meet with Jenkins, we only need three of us. The rest stand outside and keep watch."

A small smirk tugged at Riki's lips, and her amethyst peered around the room to everyone else, "Who gets to go?"

"It's going to be me," Angelus announced, his eyes shot towards Squall like it was an obvious decision, "Scarface and…" An affectionate smile crossed his lips towards Selphie, "…the _cutie._"

Selphie blinked and noticed Riki roll her eyes in disappointment. She wasn't sure if it was because Riki wanted to go in or if she had a problem with Selphie's new nickname. The way Angelus called her that, and the way he was looking at her right now made her face go hot. Selphie also couldn't explain why she'd quickly checked to see Squall's reaction. He looked unimpressed and bored as usual. It didn't even appear to faze him.

_Why do I even care what he thinks, anyways? _

"After we meet with Jenkins, we will head to Timber to rendezvous with the Forest Fox. They will fill us in on what's been going on."

_The Forest Fox? _Squall recalled the name from his first mission as a SeeD. _If these guys have connections with factions in Timber then maybe…_

"I thought the Underground was a network. How do you guys not know what's been happening there?" Squall asked.

"Because for some reason communications in the part of the world are down. We've been trying to get in touch with them for a while now. Jenkins sent his message, and we haven't heard from him since. That was almost two weeks ago." Angelus said. "Timber's in the dark right now, and we need to find out why."

* * *

><p><strong>Timber Forest<strong>

**2138 hrs**

Their footsteps thudded against the wet earth through the forest that surrounded Timber. The sounds of the night accompanied them. The tall trees blocked out the moonlight that hung in the sky. Twigs broke under their boots and the sounds of crickets and wildlife buzzed in the air. It was chilly here- approximately closer to zero. Squall's breath came out in puffs of smoke, and the cold harshly bit at the skin of his bare arms and collarbone. He stepped over a log and moved a thin branch out of the way with his blade. Angelus and himself manned the front of the pack cutting away at any branches or plants to carve a path for the rest.

"You said you worked with the Timber resistance." Squall spoke when they were farther up ahead. Angelus raised his brows at the rare occurrence of Squall initiating a conversation.

"Yeah, I did." Angelus answered, chopping down another branch. "I was with the Forest Owls for a while before I went to Deling City."

_So, he knows Rinoa. _Squall was slightly taken aback, but kind of half expected this.

"A friend of mine recruited me. She was pretty much the one who ran the show, too. Funny enough, her dad's actually the general of the army." He laughed, "She doesn't do it anymore. She got involved with SeeD and forgot about the rest I guess."

_Sounds like Rinoa. She came to Garden and never talked about Timber after that. _Squall thought. _I always thought that it was because she was more concerned about being a sorceress or because of me. _

"Zell tells me you guys were SeeD." Angelus said after a few moments of clearing the path, "Did you guys know her?"

Squall paused for a moment to consider his answer. He wished he didn't. She came into his life and promised him all the things he deprived himself of for years. When she was done with him, she tossed him on way the wayside like everything he did for her during the war didn't matter anymore.

"No, I didn't." He lied, trying to control his anger. He kept a straight face, and relaxed the tension in his shoulders swinging the Lionheart again.

Angelus shrugged, "Oh well. I guess there were a lot of you then."

"Guys!" Selphie's voice came up from behind them, "Stop for a second."

The two looked at her in question. Her voice lowered a few octaves to a whisper. The sound of trees being rustled could be heard nearby, and the two men diverted their concerned eyes towards each other. "I don't think we're alone."

Zell was next to run out of the bush towards them. He was panting hard and looking behind himself frantically. Selene was on his toes with Riki not too far behind.

"Don't leave me behind!" Riki screamed, which resulted in Angelus glaring at her carelessness.

She pointed in the direction they all came, "I-I don't know what that was, but it didn't look friendly."

Angelus moved past them to investigate further, frustrated by everyone's odd behavior. He walked between the trees that Squall and himself hadn't cut down finding nothing. He sighed turning around to the group and froze.

Selphie looked perplexed at the concerned expressions on everyone's faces, and heard a gunshot go off near her. She ducked instinctively and felt something graze her shoulder as pain set in. She bit down on her lower lip, and her body was pushed forwards onto the ground. When she finally looked up, she saw Squall's blue eyes lock deep into hers. They were both on their stomachs, and his glare silently begged her to keep quiet.

The gunshots kept going off one after another now, and the birds sleeping in the trees were just silhouettes in the sky above them flapping their wings to get away from the scene. Selphie's breath felt like it was scraping against the inside of her throat.

Squall's hand pressed between her shoulder blades leveraging him to his feet. Before she could call his name, Selphie could see the Lionheart glow brightly against the darkness swinging into an arc and hitting something hard. Whatever it was, it dropped to the ground instantly with a mangled gargling cry.

The sounds of her friends shouting overcame the sounds of the forest now. Weapons hitting weapons and bullets firing from guns could be heard around her. Selphie determinedly pushed herself to her feet feeling the wound burn her shoulder. SeeD training taught her how to disregard this temporarily. Her feet quickened and stopped when her Nunchaku came flying at a black clad soldier with a rifle in his hand.

She threw the right one, and the chain between the two nunchucks caught the barrel of the gun. Selphie tugged at it hard pulling it right out of the man's grasp. The gun clattered against the ground and lost itself in the darkness. There stood a man right in her sights, unarmed and desperately resorting to the next best thing.

His fist engulfed into a flame that lit up the area around them as he came at her with renewed motivation. He was bigger than she was, which could have been a huge advantage on his part, but she was small, clever, and fast.

He went for a fiery punch, but hit the ground when she jumped out of the way. The grass and twigs in that spot cracked into a small bonfire. And as he remained crouched, he turned his head to a flash of light that sent lightening bolts into his body. When the man dropped, Selphie went after her next target.

Riki's clutched her gun close to her body hiding behind a thicker tree trunk. Her enemy's boots carelessly crunched the ground underneath him while cocking his own gun. When he got within her vision, she swiftly shot a few bullets in his general direction.

The man ducked behind his own tree that resulted in a standoff. The only thing that they could hear was the battle raging on nearby between their respective parties.

"Come on out, UA scum!" The man shouted out from his position. "Just surrender, and I wont kill you!"

"Fuck off." Riki whispered, not stupid enough to give herself away like that. Her amethyst eyes looked around trying to cut through the blanket of darkness that shrouded her. She had to trust her ears on this one. His voice was clearer from her left side.

She turned herself slightly to point in that direction. Riki's body slowly sank closer to the earth. Suddenly, she wasn't so scared of the forest anymore, but one with it instead. The wind blew in from the eastern sea. She inhaled and focused. Just ahead, hidden in the bush was something pure black that shifted. The buckle of his boot shimmered in the light ever so slightly. Positioning her gun, Riki peered through the scope and zoomed onto the target. She was gunning for just half an inch higher than the buckle for the guy's anklebone.

Riki wasn't going to let this chance slip away when her finger pulled the trigger. Between the shot ringing out and the scream of agony, Riki jumped out and began her assault. Her finger squeezed the gun's trigger again and again, sinking bullets into the man's chest and side. He collapsed against the tree in a lifeless bloody pulp by the time she got close.

"Little bitch." She spat, and made her way towards the battle again.

Squall had leapt into the air and knocked another guy down with the edge of his gunblade. From behind him another came swinging his army issued board sword into the air coming right down on him. Squall twisted his body to block the attack and pushed the blade away using his own.

With his free hand, he mustered up a spell that made the air around them drop in temperature rapidly. A cold mist circulated into his palm and spiraled outwards until it grew strong enough to cast.

"What the-" the man couldn't even let out because Squall had knocked his blade to the side and pushed his hand into the guys face. His features froze as if he spent hours atop the highest peak of the Trabian Mountains. His body just tipped over onto the ground like an iron statue knocked off its pedestal.

Panting, Squall looked around seeing the bodies of at least ten soldiers scattered around them in trees or on the ground. The rest had been finishing up their opponents or stood up recovering from their minor injuries.

Selphie, who had been coming down from her own adrenaline rush, finally looked at her injured shoulder. Thankfully it was just a scrap and not a hole with a bullet in it. She winced when she forced her shoulder to move, looking around for Selene who was finishing off Zell's injuries.

"That looks painful." Angelus commented, walking right up to her with a relieved smile. "You okay, cutie?"

She returned a smile through another wince, "Yeah…hurts, but I think I'll be okay."

He nodded and turned to call Selene over, "No big. It doesn't look life threatening anyways. Selene, do your thing, will you?"

The blonde Trabian nodded and got right to it. A green light illuminated between them as her fingers pressed the wound. If it weren't for the Cura spell, Selphie would have been bandaged up and forced to endure the burning pain for a while longer.

Within a few moments, she looked down at it again and saw a small fresh scar in place of the bloodied mess it was before. Selphie smiled her gratitude, and Selene gave her welcomes. The small brunette was beginning to appreciate the other girl's acceptance of her. Maybe this time her new friend would stick around for a while. In the past few years Selphie had lost a lot of her close friends to war, and she sincerely hoped it wouldn't come to that with Selene as well.

Angelus called to them all, "We aren't too much farther from where we have to be. Keep note of anything you noticed during the fight, and we will report it to the Forest Fox when we see them. Move out."

* * *

><p>When they had warily made their way through the forest, Angelus busied himself with a small map of the trail when he smelt something foul. The sound of buzzing black flies was undeniable.<p>

He let out a disgusted cough knowing what just they were just walking into. It was a clearing of rotting corpses, which only confirmed Cesar's claim.

Judging by the scene of carnage, these had to be the bodies of the men found by Jenkins. There was no doubt that they had been here for at least few weeks now, but investigating their corpses would prove to get them nowhere.

"This is so fuckin' gross!" Riki complained covering her nose and mouth with her hands while trying to get away from the bodies.

"Oh my Hyne." Zell gagged, "Get me the hell outta here!"

"Are we close?" Squall asked the black haired man.

He nodded, "Yeah, you and Selphie come with me. It can't be too far away." He turned to the rest of them, "You three trail us from behind. Keep watch."

"As long as it ain't anywhere near here." Riki mumbled past Zell breaking into a jog again.

"Shall we?" Selene smiled, despite the uneasiness she felt in her stomach.

"Ladies first." Zell joked, letting her pass him. Even under these circumstances, he couldn't help but notice the curve of her hips as she walked ahead of him now.

* * *

><p>Squall cut down the last of the bush that lead to another clearing. According to the small map the Naperic leader currently held, this was it. But the stench never went away, and Squall hoped it wasn't just stuck in his nose.<p>

In the middle of the clearing stood a small old wooden cottage made of logs and plywood. Its walls were littered in holes and splinters, and the windows had been blown out or broken into shards still stuck in the windowpanes. There were men in black uniforms scattered all over the place with bullets in them clearly dead.

As discussed, Squall and Selphie followed Angelus further into the clearing with all weapons drawn. They soundlessly stepped closer to the door of the shack with Angelus prying it open slightly with the hilt of his blade. The wooden door creaked open with no answer from the old man. Upon entering, the three noticed that the interior had been completely ransacked with many objects littering the floor and furniture knocked over away from the walls.

_Someone must have thought he was hiding something_, Selphie thought, stepping over a small morose code kit on the floor. She looked to Angelus who had been carefully picking at some old books sitting on the only table that wasn't knocked over- the desk. She searched for Squall whom had ventured off into the kitchen ahead of them.

"Shit!" She heard him yell and a loud thud followed. When she came running into the small kitchen with Angelus in toe, they found Squall sitting on the floor next to the body of old man Jenkins. The petite girl coughed and tears stung her eyes from the strong odor. Squall coughed into a gloved hand trying to also hold down the bile at the back of his throat.

"What could have done all this?" Selphie asked.

Angelus crouched down to the dead body of the old man. Squall and himself examined the wounds inflicted on him and exchanged solemn glances. "That does _not_ look like a normal sword would."

Squall leaned in closer finding a large burn mark around the long gash on the man's side. In the middle of the wound was a hole the same diameter as the bullets he used in his own gunblade.

"Gunblade…" Squall muttered.

"Come again, Scarface?" Angelus replied getting to his feet.

His blue eyes peered up to his comrades, "This wasn't a regular blade. Only a Gunblade can inflict wounds like that. It has a burn mark, which means that whoever did this specializes with fire spells junctioned to their attack as I thought. They also fired a bullet in the gash, which would take too much effort and time to shoot them with a gun after slicing them practically in half with a blade. The diameter of the bullet hole is the same diameter as the ones I use. This could only mean-"

"_Seifer!?"_ Selphie finished for him, and he nodded getting to his feet as well.

"There's a directory of all weapons licensed to specific individuals who are categorized by class. Last time I checked in the gunblade section, there were two names: mine and his."

The leader shook his head dismissing all the thoughts running through his mind. He angrily stepped past Selphie and called after them, "Let's just get the hell out of here."

Squall stared at Selphie who offered him a shrug before turning her heel and following Angelus out the door. Squall glanced at the body one last time and sighed warily, "Seifer, what are you up to now?"

* * *

><p>The rest of the group hung around the opening of the clearing standing guard when Angelus walked towards them with Selphie and Squall not far behind.<p>

"Hey, what did that Jenkins dude say?" Zell approached them.

"Nothing. He's dead, too." Angelus replied, dryly. This sparked questions and remarks from them all, but he just shouted in reply instead, "All you guys shut up! We don't know what's exactly happened, but Leonhart has a theory."

The group looked at him in question, "I think it was another gunblade user who did it. I examined the wound, and it's not a typical blade wound."

"_Wait!"_ Zell exclaimed knowing where this was going, "You don't mean…"

"Zell, he thinks its Seifer." Selphie replied for Squall with concern.

The brawler's body trembled in anger to the sound of his name. Zell's fist clenched tightly at his side. "So, that bastards up to his old tricks again, eh?"

"Do you think this guy has anything to do with the bombins'?" Riki asked Squall.

Squall shrugged, "It's too early to say."

"Well, we might as well head to Timber and discuss this there instead of a field full of dead bodies." Riki suggested. "Besides, Timber is like a mile away from here, and I'm fucking exhausted playin' in the woods."

"Probably because you hate bugs." Zell snickered.

He received a dirty look from her, "Shut up, Chicken-wuss!" This hit a nerve, and Zell almost went ballistic as the group started to walk away.

Squall offered him a pat on the shoulder and a frown before following suit. "Calm down, Zell."

* * *

><p>As the group got closer to Timber, Selphie noticed something was off. There were strange dark clouds over the city. Normally Timber would be bustling with life and the sounds of trains pulling into the station could always be heard. It had been unusually dark and quiet for such a lively city. She moved the branches that blocked her view and was shocked to find what lay behind them. Zell walked up next, and his jaw dropped at the sight of it. The reactions of everyone else seemed to mirror his in absolute horror.<p>

Timber looked just like Dollet now. All the buildings were rubble, cars were destroyed or flipped over onto their roofs, and black smoke left the air thick with ash. The TV station's monitor that overlooked the whole city was cracked and hanging off the building threatening to crash to the streets below. As for the people, strangely enough there was no one in sight. Selphie really hoped they made it out alive. She did just as Selene had told her to do earlier. She prayed silently for them all.

Angelus on the other hand looked jaded when he called everyone's attention standing before the group. He seemed to recollect his thoughts after a few moments, and the anger he had displayed back inside Jenkins' house resurfaced.

"Listen up! We are to excavate the area and look for survivors or any clues to back up Leonhart's theory. If you find anything, report to me immediately. Move out!" Angelus barked before he stormed into the city that was now a complete ghost town.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well, that one took a bit of time to roll out. I think I missed updating on thursday. Anyways, this chapter starts to get the ball rolling a little more. We learnt that Angelus knows Rinoa! I wanted to actually work on a backstory for them eventually. In my profile it's listed as a prequel called _Life in Plain Sight_, and I may have mentioned that before. I don't know when I'm going to get around to writing that after this story, but I will eventually. I haven't really started the official prewriting to that yet as there's some other stuff I'm concentrating on at the moment regarding this series.

Anyways, happy reading and remember to review! I love hearing from you guys, and I do reply back!

Enjoy!


	10. Phase IX: Ghost Town

****Disclaimer: ****I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase IX<strong>

**Ghost Town**

**Occupied Fallen Timber **

**October 9****th****, 2009. 0201 hrs**

'Ghost town' didn't even come close to describing Timber's current state. The houses and buildings were completely baron of any human life. Holes from bullets lodged into the brick and wood of houses indicating a struggle that had gone on in the same fashion they had found Jenkins' home in. Other buildings were left either burned to the ground in charred rubble or ransacked of any valuable belongings.

To Selphie it looked like the end of the world had come and swept this city of life. It was like that popular TV show she remembered seeing once, the one about a widespread disease turning people in zombies and completely taking over. Thankfully Timber didn't even have those lurking the streets or else she'd have a bigger problem.

Regardless, she still didn't know what was out here. She wandered on her own straying from the group to cover more ground. The small brunette strolled down the street with her trusty weapon drawn at her side watching her footing on the cracked concrete and stepping over debris.

_First Dollet. Now Timber? _She thought to herself, _this is seriously gettin' outta hand now. I mean I get that Galbadia and Timber were at war over the independence, but did the people get fed up and fight back? _

That was the only logical explanation she could come up with, and something told her she was not too far off. She also highly doubted that she'd find Stacy here, feeling like she had hit yet another dead end.

She turned the corner down another road deep within the downtown core of Timber. Selphie looked up at the sign above her head recognizing the street name from her first visit during the Forest Owls mission. It lead towards the very place they had met Watts with the 'password' next to the gift shop.

Even after hiring SeeD, Timber still hadn't achieved its independence from Galbadian rule. Rinoa had hired them to help, but for some reason she didn't seem too concerned with the movement after she and Squall started dating.

Eventually, Rinoa stopped talking about the resistance all together when she lived in Garden. Selphie figured that between her new relationship and the whole becoming a sorceress thing, Rinoa had other priorities to concern herself with. And like many times before in the recent weeks, Selphie's thoughts always ended with in the same place, thinking about the same person.

_Squall doesn't seem like he really got over her_, _but why does he have to be so cold with_ me_? What did I do?_

After running into him again, the memory of the kiss they shared was creeping into her thoughts more often. While they were apart those two years, she tried to talk to him about it. Squall promptly ignored her messages. That hurt the most. It was like he didn't want anything to do with her now.

Suddenly, she felt like it was _her _fault. Maybe she didn't do something that he wanted to her to do, but seeing as this was Squall, he wouldn't ever tell her.

It was a hopeless situation that could be entirely ignored before she got her hopes up or drove her absolutely crazy. She _could _just concentrate on the mission and left it at that.

She was so deep in thought that she almost didn't see sudden movement up ahead. Selphie blinked, second-guessing herself. Did she actually just see that? She blinked again. There it was again, and when her eyes refocused it was as plain as day. There stood a dark figure on the road not far away from where she was currently standing- in the shadows no less, but they really_ standing _there.

She was _certain _now. This person, or whatever it was, hadto be _real!_

Selphie darted for the nearest alleyway trying to get a closer look. Her body pressed itself against a brick wall. It was dark, but the light from the flickering streetlamp above made it easier to make out shapes at the mouth of the alleyway.

The figure stood there on the train platform near the gift shop dressed in an unusual black uniform. It didn't remotely look like what the black clad soldiers had worn when they fought against them in the forest or in Dollet. It resembled riot gear. A black jump suit with a thick vest strapped to the torso and shoulders. The person didn't look armed, but raised their arms to remove the unusual helmet on their head. Selphie's eyes went wide when she saw the figure's red curly locks cascade down to her shoulders.

_Stacy!_

Her heart pounded,and her mind screamed into a ceremonious cheer as relief washed over her. Selphie frantically pushed herself off the wall about to dart out of the alley when something snagged her forearm sending her crashing against the brick again.

She let out a cry of discomfort, muffled by the black leather hand currently covering her mouth. The moon illuminated the side of this person's face, but she didn't register the identity fast enough. Her body was still quickly recovering from this random attack. They slowly removed the hand, and it fell to her right shoulder.

Their hot breath brushed against her face as the figure was approximately eight inches taller than she was. His body was clad in dark clothing, but his arms were bare. His scent was familiar and musky. It reminded her of the night in the quad all of a sudden. And she allowed herself to get lost in the memory for just only a little while. Neither of them moved. A standoff not with weapons, but emotions lie between them. Confusion not one of them, but replaced with curiosity on who will initiate the first move.

Just like the night in the quad, Selphie felt his face lower as his forehead pressed against hers. Both were panting now- not from over exhaustion, from something else entirely.

His breath caught in her mouth until he closed his eyes and kissed her. This time she wasn't so confused. She wanted it to be longer, longer than last time for sure.

But for how long?

_Wait, who was this…_

His lips continued to move for only a few more seconds before Selphie's green eyes fluttered open. Suddenly, her previous thoughts sounded _so_ ludicrous when she factored in the last few weeks.

Selphie moved one of her hands against his chest pushing his body away. Finally, their eyes met, but hers held anger, and his had a hint of alarm. An awkward beat passed like they both did something that shouldn't have happened. _Again. _

And then she made her move.

His cheek flared up and stung, and he was left utterly shocked. Selphie had just enough time to wiggle away from him before he made sense as to what just happened. She didn't even bother looking back when her legs picked up the pace and ran as fast as she could.

As more questions popped up in her mind, the red haired figure had long since disappeared by the time she got out of the alleyway.

* * *

><p>Zell and Angelus walked side by side through the ruins trying to find any indication of what had happened and where everyone had gone. Not even dead bodies could be found amongst the rubble.<p>

They were by the Timber Hotel now- or rather what used to be the hotel. Angelus turned over another rock determined to find anything that could lead them in the right direction.

Meanwhile the brawler perched himself on a concrete slab watching the Naperic leader's attempt to uncover something. Zell cracked his knuckles and neck, figuring he might as well strike up a conversation. "So, you knew Seifer?"

"Yeah." He muttered a reply.

"Were you guys like buds or somethin'?"

"No."

"How did ya meet?" Zell asked again with more interest this time.

Angelus grunted getting to his feet, "We haven't. Rinoa used to talk about him."

"Ohhh," He exclaimed, "That makes sense. She dated him for a bit, didn't she?"

"Yeah, if you could call it 'dating'." Angelus grumbled, looking none too pleased, "She really thought SeeD would be able to liberate Timber."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!?" Zell snapped taking offence.

Angelus shrugged, "Don't get me wrong, Chicken-wuss. I don't have a problem with SeeD. It's just she's the type to get herself into situations that she firmly believes in without much thought. Rinoa's a good girl, but that Seifer guy…he sounded like a prick."

Zell burst out laughing, "Wow, you're right on the money, man!"

Angelus chuckled allowing the tense situation to roll off his shoulders. "Was Seifer a friend of yours?"

Zell waved a dismissive hand, "Naw, man. He terrorized everyone. Hated his guts for a while. Oh, Squall, too. How do you think he got that scar on his face?"

Angelus nodded.

"Yo. So you know Rinoa?" Zell then asked.

"Yeah. She's introduced me into the resistance. We started out together. Rin and I go as far back as childhood. Her father and mine were good friends, too. When she ran away, I was on the road and happen to find her here. She always talked about how terrible her father was and how the people of Timber had to conform to a Galbadian way of life. The one we ran away from."

"Hold on." Zell cut him off, "Did you and Rinoa ever…"

Angelus smirked, "I had a thing for her, yeah. Cesar offered me a position in Deling City. When I got back to Timber, she was with Seifer. I heard a bunch of other stuff after the war two years ago. Apparently she was staying in one of the Gardens and got involved with SeeD."

An alarm went off in Zell's mind. He wasn't sure how much this guy had heard and _really_ hoped it didn't have anything to do with the fact that Rinoa was a sorceress now. Besides Esthar and Garden, it wasn't common knowledge, and he needed to make sure he kept his mouth shut on this one for the sake of everyone involved during the war.

The other possibility was that since the Underground Association's main purpose was to uncover the truth about what the government hid, then there was a possibility that Angelus already knew about what had happened.

Either way, Zell wasn't going to throw him that bone or be the bearer of bad news. He got the idea that Angelus still deeply cared about Rinoa and her wellbeing regardless of whom she was with now. Besides, it wasn't his business to do anything about it.

* * *

><p>Squall aimlessly walked through the ruins of Timber by the TV station. He pushed the memories of this place out of his head from his first mission working with the Forest Owls. They were the oxymoron of organized crime with their rather unorganized strategies. He thanked Rinoa for that one. She was always getting herself into things without really understanding the consequences.<p>

Sadly after their breakup, she hadn't learnt how to correct that flaw. Squall was an analytical kind of guy and found faults in almost everything. Blaming it on perspective away from her, it gave him time to analyze the memories they shared together. Squall had now formulated a mental list of what he didn't like about her that outweighed what he did.

Unlike Rinoa, Squall had a harder time trying to do the same with Selphie. When they spoke, especially recently, she annoyed the shit out of him. She was loud and bold. Selphie had a lot of nerve leaving him wary of her.

His actions less than an hour ago spoke differently. Frankly he didn't even know where the urge to kiss her came from, but he blamed it on his weaknesses and lack of self-control. He allowed his feelings to surface in a time where he needed to focus on this mission. Above anything else, he found her to be his biggest distraction, and he didn't even know why.

Squall's mind and body were split into two desires of opposite polarity. His mind told him to stay away from her, as she could be a risk for not only this mission, but also to himself. Selphie could potentially hurt him if he got too close, which figuratively she did when she hit him. Her slap still left his skin feeling raw combined with the crisp air hitting his face.

Like he did with anyone who even attempted to get close to him, Squall asked himself one question.

_Why should I even try pursuing even a friendship with her, when she may not be around after this is all over?_

His body told him something entirely different that left him so confused he let out a frustrated sigh. Her lips pressing his and their close proximity brought back urges he hadn't felt in a while, He _wanted_ to be that close, he _wanted_ to kiss her. Why? Because she was there, and there was something about her now that she didn't have back then. Or maybe it was something he hadn't noticed before. As for what it was, Squall's brain hurt just thinking about it.

He knew she was trailing something- a figure with red hair. And Squall knew what she had planned. He could say he was trying to protect her from whoever that was, but that would just be a poor excuse.

_I can't just ignore this now. I don't even know what I'm thinking or feeling. What am I gonna say when I see her?_

_Nothing. I don't have to say anything. _

Just then he heard something shift behind him, a shuffling in the alley by the pub's back entrance. His SeeD instincts kicked in, and he reacted. A blue flash cut through the air so fast Squall's eyes didn't keep up to what he was about to hit. Whatever it was he could have settled for dead.

"Whoa!" The source of the movement shouted. He fell to the ground in an attempt to get away from the Lionheart's razor sharp edge. His hands had instantly flown over his head as if to tell him that he was unarmed.

Squall pulled back, his eyes full of fury, and his body hadn't come down from the short burst of adrenaline pumping through his veins just yet. "Nida!?"

In fact it was Nida Sanders slowly getting to his feet and brushing himself off from gravel. His brown hair was shaved close to his scalp, and he wasn't wearing a SeeD uniform like he usually did back then. He had on an army green cargo coat with a black hoodie underneath it, light jeans, and a pair of white and black sneakers.

"Squall!" Nida exclaimed happily, "Man, I knew it was you!"

Squall growled, "I almost fucking killed you."

The man let out a nervous laugh, "Yeah, well. It's cool. So… what's up?"

The brunet cocked a confused brow at him, "I should be asking you that. Why are you even here, Nida?"

He smiled sheepishly, "Well, long story short. I'm like the only guy left in this city."

"I can see that."

"Uhh…" He started, "A bunch of us had fought against a shit load of soldiers dressed in black about week ago. Turns out they were too much for us. A lot of people ran…I don't know where they all went. This cities become a ghost town if I ever saw one."

Having enough of Nida's ramblings, Squall growled and grabbed the ex-SeeD by his hood dragging him along in the direction in which he came. Nida flailed his arms in response to Squall's forceful grip. "Where are you taking me, man?"

"I got some people you need to explain this to." He said shortly.

* * *

><p>When she reached the Timber train station, she stopped to take a break. Her hands gripped the railing that oversaw the train tracks below.<p>

It was peculiar not to see the trains running as usual or crowds of people seeing loved ones off on the platforms. Even during the Timber Revolution against oppressing Galbadia, the trains carried soldiers and the occasional passenger trains in, but still ran on active tracks.

She pressed her forehead against the rail in front of her and emptied the air stored in her lungs. Her mind tried to make sense of what just happened. Lips pressed against hers, his body overtaking the situation, the smell of gunpowder mixed with the odd combination of fresh fields. Selphie got a glimpse of him, and had no idea why he would kiss her. Squall, of all people, kissing _her!_

Suddenly, nothing made sense. It didn't before- fuck, nothing in the past few weeks did. Even worse, Selphie couldn't make sense as to why her stomach fluttered with anxiety or where this odd mixture of lust and frustration even came from.

_I can't believe him! Is he playing games with me or what!? What the _hell_ is his problem!? _

Selphie was at her wits end now.

_First_, this stupid mission was a wild chocobo chase. Then she was still trying to find Stacy, which by the way, she might have succeeded if Squall didn't show up and ruin everything. And on top of that, he was still being an idiotic jerk!

Lifting her head, she grumbled running a hand into her brown locks.

The wind picked up blowing a newspaper of the Timber Gazette against the fencing of the rail. She curiously picked up the paper and opened it to the first article.

"Dollet seeks to expand Telecommunications towers all over the eastern Galbadian continent. A conference is set for Tuesday October 1st…." Selphie stopped right there. That was just over a week ago. Dollet had been attacked _two _weeks ago. Why were there still articles on Dollet being published as if nothing happened?

Communication towers. Galbadia was after its main tower just over two years ago- she was there when they tried, and SeeD stopped them. Were they after the ones being built, too?

But why act like the Dollet attack never happened at _all? _

"Propaganda." Selphie muttered, recognizing this political tactic, "Galbadia is trying to act like it never happened. I need to show this to Angelus!" She rolled up the newspaper and jammed it into her back pocket.

_Squall, _she thought, _you're gonna have to wait._

* * *

><p>"Guys!" They both looked up to the sound of Selphie shouting from across the main square. She had something in her hand that flailed frantically above her head.<p>

"Hey, Selph." Zell stood up from his spot on the concrete slab.

Her hand squeezed her knee catching her breath from running all the way here while waving the newspaper around with the other. "Look! Page 18…"

Angelus snatched it from her. He opened it to the page that had been dog-eared near the middle. His brown and blue eyes scanned the headline and then the article. Upon finishing most of it, he glanced to Zell who was reading over his shoulder.

"That is some fucked up shit." Zell finally said.

"It's a ploy." Angelus explained, not being too surprised. "It's a way to make people think the bombing didn't happen. Why make the citizens think something is going on and cause chaos, when they can hide the truth?"

"Propaganda at its finest." Zell huffed, backing away.

"It's really something that happens a lot. This is the kind of shit that the Underground Association looks into. The media is paid off by the government to make people believe in lies. Knowing the UA, this article is probably old news by now."

"But they went after the new towers, right?" Selphie asked, "If that's what they are after that means Galbadia wants to seize communication between people and other countries."

Zell scratched his head, "So, they wanna lock us into the country?"

"I wouldn't go that far, Blondie." Angelus frowned, "More like they want to eventually have complete control over us. Where we cannot speak freely about Galbadian rule, or choose our own ways of life- _that_ sort of thing. Look around us. They did it to Timber."

"Why do you think everyone left?" Selphie asked him.

"Timber had a large population involved in resistance groups. Almost everyone was part of one. From what it looks like, Timber was a threat to Galbadia because a bunch of SeeD and cadets moved here after the Gardens disbanded. Timber suddenly had a force to fight back with."

"They revolted. Galbadia didn't bother broadcasting anything because they wanted the incident contained." Selphie said after everything started to click into place. "To keep people on the outside oblivious."

"Exactly." Angelus confirmed. He ripped the newspaper clipping out and stuffed it into the pocket of his trench coat.

* * *

><p><strong>0313 hrs<strong>

The group all sat at the rendezvous point near the Timber Maniacs building when they saw Squall coming with someone else being dragged along behind him. Selphie bounced off the steps to get a better look at the guy.

Zell ran up to them, "Nida! What the fuck are you doin' here!?"

"You know this guy?" Angelus asked Selphie who beamed with excitement.

She nodded, running up to their old friend. "Nida!"

"Hey Selphie!" He waved, but wasn't prepared for the bodily impact of her embrace. It was more like a body check.

"I can't believe it's you!" She laughed, "I missed you, buddy!" He just patted her on the back while struggling to breath through her bear hug.

Squall face palmed to her reaction, finding it unnecessary. He needed to walk away because the awkwardness of her presence was putting his stomach in knots. A thought crossed his mind, and he had to dismiss it as fast as possible. _She's never that happy to see me. _

_I need to stop this right now. _

"So, Nida, right?" Angelus came forward. "We are all wondering why you're here."

"Well," He looked at the six pair of eyes that all expectantly awaited his answer, "As you probably know after Garden disbanded, a bunch of us SeeD came to Timber. Galbadia hadn't completely removed itself from the city, and we agreed to help the resistance get them out. We devised a plan to revolt, but our plans somehow got out before anything could start. Someone within the resistance had tipped off some Galbadian soldiers who then called for back up. Next thing we knew all passenger trains were being short turned to East Academy or elsewhere, and only trains containing soldiers were allowed to come through the station."

Angelus and Selphie exchanged knowing glances. Nida continued, "The violence had been getting worse recently, and there were too many soldiers for us all to take on at once. The resistance factions were mostly only in intelligence and had no battle experience whatsoever, so they left the fighting to us. When the going got tough, the soldiers had evacuated the remaining civilians into trains and took them someplace else. Most ended up arrested and taken to Dingo Desert. The rest of the ex-SeeD scattered and left."

"Who else was with you?" Squall asked, "Was Xu one of them?"

"Nope." Nida quipped, "She's with Quistis in Ethsar."

"Yeah, and if you actually kept in touch with her, then you would have _known_ that." Squall figured Selphie was still pissed about the kiss judging by her uncharacteristic scowl and hint of irritation in her voice.

Squall knew what she was trying to do, but chose to ignoring the catcall coming from Zell and the amused look on Angelus' face. He glared her way and muttered a quiet "whatever" to that. The last thing he needed to do was lose his temper with her, which he knew wouldn't take much longer.

"Anyways," Angelus pressed, wanting to get past the animosity that hung in the air, "That doesn't explain much as to why you stayed here."

Nida laughed, "Uh…I got knocked out. I woke up behind the bar of the Timber Pub. When I woke up, everyone had taken off."

Squall and Zell synchronized their face palms upon hearing that. Selphie uncrossed her arms and turned to face Angelus.

"What now?"

"We have to head to Deling and report back to Cesar. Then we make our next move."

"Hold up." Riki finally chimed in. "You said that the SeeDs ran out of town, right? What are the chances that they went to FH?"

"Since it's close by, very likely." Nida rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "There could be someone there who may have a better idea of what is going on."

"What are we waitin' 'round here for then?" Riki shouted with renewed enthusiasm that seemingly came out of nowhere. "Let's go to FH!"

Angelus knew why Riki had been so excited. The one person who would know anything about the attacks was the man they called the 'FH Scout'. He had hoped he didn't have to see that jackasses face ever again.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** After a holiday hiatus, this story is back in full swing!

Squall and Selphie action? Well, not just yet. Squall is still being 'an idiotic jerk', and Selphie just slapped him. I mean, wouldn't you? Anyways, think of this chapter as a treat because over the next few chapters a lot of other stuff is going to happen plot wise.

Oh, and we have Nida back! Yay!

So, there's more SeeDs now? Why yes, and they're pretty pissed off about the whole Timber thing.

This is getting long, so HAPPY READING! Please don't forget to drop a line in the review box! I love hearing about your thoughts on this story, and I do reply to my reviews!


	11. Phase X: The Mole

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase X<strong>

**The Mole **

**Fisherman's Horizon/Horizon Bridge West**

**October 11****th****, 2009. 2030 hrs**

Fisherman's Horizon or 'FH' was a long manmade bridge connecting the Galbadian and Estharian continents together that also ran along the equator. In history, it was also dubbed 'No Man's Land' due to its pacifist views as a nation and its reluctance to side with any major alliances during the past few wars.

The group walked along the bridge as the sun set upon the sparkling sea, and the sound of seagulls spiraling around them and flapping officially welcomed them. Their journey from Timber had taken about a two days by foot with a few pit stops in between. They were exhausted and in need of some food and a good nights sleep.

Riki on the other hand was the most energetic of them all, even more than Selphie these days. From what Squall had gathered from her constant chatter, that he only half listened to, was that FH was actually Riki's hometown. Riki assured them that they would have a place to stay if they'd come, which also helped to sway the group's decision to follow her lead. Squall didn't care where they went as long as he could sleep on something that wasn't the ground.

"_Ta-da!_" Riki cheered, opening her arms to the town like she was presenting the grandest thing they ever feasted their eyes on. "Welcome to my humble abode!" Her voice came out in song, and there was no denying the skip in her step.

"Seriously," Squall muttered to Zell, "She needs to calm down. It's getting annoying now."

Zell clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Bro, I'm seriously resistin' the urge to throw her off this bridge."

"I second that notion." Nida smirked, and the two just looked at him. "What? I'd like to see it."

Zell laughed, and Squall just chuckled, "Whatever."

Selphie looked out to the setting sun, "So pretty…"

"Ain't it?" Riki beamed, putting her arms around Selphie's shoulders. "You get used to seein' the ocean all the time. I honestly miss it!"

"You have family here, right?" Selphie asked.

Riki nodded, animatedly, "Yeah. My older bro lives here. That's where were goin' right now. He may have a clue 'bout what's goin' on."

"Riki's brother is a resistance intelligence officer here. He overseas the work between Esthar and Galbadia." Selene explained.

"I wouldn't talk him up _that_ big." Angelus chuckled, "But Vaughn might know something."

As they approached the centre of the city, the streets grew more crowded with people going about their day. Some looked as if they walked with purpose and intent, while others seemed lost and loitered the sides of the road in small clusters. Selphie was just here two years ago, and there hadn't been that large of a population here. Now the streets were covered with people in all directions. Even Riki found it odd.

"Looks like more people moved in." Angelus observed, and Riki frowned. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong here.

"Anyways, this is it." She opened a door next to a shabby vintage antique store in the main shopping strip. The group followed her up the odd rickety staircase that lead to a small apartment on the top floor. The door flung open to reveal a common looking living area with a flat screen and a small kitchen.

Vaughn Callahan was sitting at the kitchen table with papers scattered around him as if he was in the middle of something important. The muggy room had the lingering smell of nicotine, and ashes littered around the clay ashtray next to his paperwork and half drunken coffee.

"Hey, bro!" Riki greeted running up to hug her brother tightly from behind his chair.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." He laughed.

Selphie could see the uncanny resemblance. Vaughn was around Squall's height with a shaved head. His eyes were the same shade of violet as his sisters. He had a tattoo creeping up his neck, but mostly hidden by his white t-shirt. His left arm was also covered in a sleeve of tattoos, but aside from his rugged appearance, Selphie found herself admitting that he was quite the attractive man.

"And you brought friends. A lot of 'em." He looked surprised, "If I knew y'all were comin' I would'a bought a keg of Dollet ale."

"No need, bro." Angelus smirked making his way past everyone to the kitchen. He casually opened the fridge and popped the cap off the first bottle he grabbed. "I'm on it."

Vaughn glared, "You haven't changed a bit, eh? Was a prick, always a prick!"

"Love you, too, Vaughnny boy." Angelus laughed. The animosity was light between the two men suggesting a long history there. Snide comments aside, it was obvious they had some form of respect for one another.

Vaughn raised a thick black brow at Riki, "So, what's the purpose of this visit?"

"We can't just come by and say hello?" Angelus said.

Riki rolled her eyes, "We need to ask ya a few things 'bout the town."

Vaughn sighed bracing himself, but got comfortable in his chair. "You wanna know why the fuck there's so many people poppin' up?"

The man gestured for them to sit down for a while. All seven pairs of eyes intently looked at him, "Lately there's been these attacks goin' on. An influx of people came in just over two weeks ago, n' then less than one. Basically this has become a refuge city. Everyone n' their mother has come here n' it's makin' business run 'not so usual'."

"What's that mean?" Selphie asked him from here spot on the floor.

Vaughn eyed the group, "The cities crowded, n' the groups here are findin' it hard to gather information 'cause it can leak so easily now that there's more ears to listen."

"Leaking information?" Nida chimed in. "We had that problem back in Timber. That's what started the whole thing in the first place."

Violet eyes flashed up to the newcomer in the conversation, "You were in Timber, boy?"

He nodded. "We all were."

"Then you know that most of 'em fighters there came here, right? They're startin' up quite the ruckus." He added, disdainfully. Nida frowned guiltily to this.

Squall caught on and didn't miss a beat, "Are they SeeDs?"

Vaughn furrowed his brow. Lines defined his face suddenly making him age within seconds. The position he held must have not been an easy one, and the stress seemed to be getting to him. "Yeah. They claimed they were with the fuckin' resistance. I can tell ya's they don't look that familiar to me. That's for fuckin' sure."

"Do you know anything about 'the mole' who leaked the information to Galbadia?" Selphie asked.

Vaughn gave her a disgusted expression, "Yeah, he's with 'em SeeDs. They got his ass tied up somewhere- serves the fucker right. When the Underground Council finds out what he did, they'd kill him on the spot."

"What's his name?" Angelus suddenly asked with more interest. "Do we know this guy?"

"Yeah," Vaughn replied. "Yer ol' buddy Zone, n' I'm not surprised. He's always been a bit of a fuckin' twat."

Selphie looked over to her fellow SeeDs, and Zell and Nida looked just as concerned as everyone else. Squall remained stone faced as his thoughts processed the news. Angelus on the other hand slammed his fist against the counter almost knocking his beer over.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?" He snapped, clearly outraged.

"Hey! Don't shoot the messenger, asshole!" Vaughn shouted back, pointing a threatening finger his way.

"You know Zone?" Selphie asked.

"I go way back with the Forest Owls." Angelus said. "I used to work with that idiot."

"We did, too." Selphie answered for them, ignoring Squall's stare of disapproval for disclosing this information, "We were in Timber trying to help liberate them from Galbadian occupation during our first mission as SeeD."

"What's yer name's again, SeeDs?" Vaughn asked just then.

"I'm Selphie, this is Zell, Squall, and Nida." She told him, gesturing to each man around the room.

Black brows furrowed for a second, and he spun his chair towards the brown haired male in particular, "Hold up. Squall. As in Commander_ Squall Leonhart?_"

Angelus looked up with narrowed eyes expecting to hear Squall's answer. The other resistance members didn't take this information as seriously. They knew the others were SeeD, but nobody ever mentioned Squall's superiority as the leader of the entire paramilitary unit.

"That's me." Squall stated as he pushed himself off the wall he was leaning on. Frankly, he didn't really care for Angelus' accusing stare or what he was thinking at this very moment. "What of it?"

Vaughn's lips unexpectedly pulled back into a delighted smile, "What are the chances, eh? This went from bad to fuckin' awesome."

"Uh, share with the class, Vaughny boy." Angelus growled.

Finally getting up from his seat, the man walked over to the door that led into another room. "I got a plan. Angelus, Squall, and the Timber SeeD come with me."

* * *

><p>Once in there, Squall noticed that the walls were covered in newspaper clippings and maps. Upon further investigation some dated back as early as 1991 during the first sorceress war. There was an article nearest to him titled <em>'Esthar Liberated by Former Galbadian Soldier.' <em>

Squall just scoffed at it for its irony. Those were the days before the honeycomb shield went up when Estharian affairs made international headlines.

"Some of these stories date back decades ago when my father used to live here." Vaughn explained, walking over to a table with a city map on it, "He used to run the show down here before me. Before he died."

_So, resistance involvement runs in their blood. _Squall noted.

Vaughn lit a cigarette taking a few puffs before he began. The four men stood around the table examining the map. There were colored tacks indicating certain parts of the manmade city, and Vaughn fingered one with particular interest.

"This is where they are keepin' the mole." He began, "When the SeeDs got here, they took over the ol' train station. Trains haven't run through there in almost twenty years because Esthar disappeared from plain sight. No travel between the two countries was permitted for a while. This place's turned into a graveyard for trains and homeless people."

"Nobody would really go there, which is probably why the SeeDs took it over." Angelus added, and the older man nodded.

"Right now, we got a SeeD who ran with them pack, and their ol' commander, here." He pointed to them, explaining this next part to the Naperic leader. "We need to get the mole back, and you need take him back to Deling City."

"Why there?" Squall asked, "What good is he in Deling?"

Angelus tore his eyes away from the map and flashed them up to Squall, "When someone breaks the rules, they are to stand trial in front of the Underground Association's council. The verdict is almost always death for exposing Intel."

Squall nodded, "Okay, so we need to get the SeeDs to give him back to us. Nida, who are we dealing with?"

"The SeeDs are being run by James Alekson. If memory serves, he's got ten guys with him- eight of which were SeeDs at Balamb and two cadets."

"James Alekson." The name rolled of Squall's tongue as he tried to put a name to a face. He remembered a thick Dollet accent and bronze hair. James was two years older than he was, so they probably never took a class together. He did remember hearing that James graduated the same year as Quistis did at sixteen years old. He was granted the highest rank after his field exam, but had a reputation for his temper and ruthlessness on the field.

"Their leader is a pain in the ass," Squall finally said, "He won't be easy to persuade."

"The SeeDs aren't as civilized as they used to be, Squall." Nida had a nervous look of warning in his dark eyes, "They've gone rouge. They're wild and abuse the strength they have now. The violence has gone to their heads, and they won't let us take Zone without a fight."

"Then we take him by force." Angelus replied.

Squall raised a hand, "Or we take him without them knowing. Look," Squall pointed towards the dark area illustrating the 'train graveyard' as they called it. "We have two teams- one can be us three. Nida, you'll go in with us to talk them into giving us Zone. Chances are they won't. I used to command them, so they _might_ listen to me. Angelus, having your knowledge of resistance groups will help as well." He looked to both men on either side of him making sure they were getting all this. "The three of us go in armed. If they really have ten men, they probably have around eight of them they utilize the most- their SeeDs."

"Which means they're armed with various kinds of weapons and field magic." Nida added, explaining this to the resistance members in the room.

"How about the other team, Scarface?" Angelus asked.

Squall's finger moved towards the back of the train graveyard. It was dark and narrow, but it seemed like there were alleyways and roads that lead in from the back, "Selphie, Zell, and Riki will go in from behind. If Zone is with them, the SeeD won't have him out in plain sight. Chances are he's being hidden and guarded by whomever they don't have up front. If they don't, they'd be incredibly stupid to leave a seasoned resistance member unguarded."

"How do ya know all this?" Vaughn asked, impressed by Squall's strategic plan.

Squall kept his face neutral, "SeeD consider every possibility before settling on one. If they aren't holding Zone here, then we're gonna have a long night trying to find him in the city."

Angelus smirked, straightening his back. "Well then, men. What are we waiting for?" His eyes humorously glimmered at them all, "Let's go catch us a mole."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Hi guys! So another Final Fantasy 8 character has been reintroduced! I do apologize that this chapter had more of an OC character focus, but Squall kind of takes the spotlight in the end.

I wanted to also have more SeeDs as well. Will they accept Squall as their leader again? Does he even want to be one? And what's going on with Selphie now?

Keep reading, and don't forget to review or fav and whatnot! I'd love to hear from you and what you guys think!

Happy reading!


	12. Phase XI: Rabid SeeD With A Tip

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XI<strong>

**Rabid SeeD with A Tip**

**Fisherman's Horizon/Old Train Station**

**October 12th****th****, 2009. 0035 hrs**

Angelus, Squall, and Nida approached the old FH train station. It had been worn down with age and decorated with rusted pipes and scarp metal. Trains hadn't run here in as long as Angelus could remember. Most traveled to the Estharian continent illegally by foot if they were crazy enough. The air smelt like copper and sea salt as the moon illuminated the streets they walked on. Shadows cast across the ground making it harder to differentiate shapes and objects.

The men strolled side-by-side readying themselves for a potentially dangerous encounter. Angelus could sense the determination radiate from Squall that he hadn't seen much of in the past two weeks. Squall seemed to go about this with intent, while Nida appeared slightly nervous about this whole thing.

Squall was a difficult person to figure out, and as time went on bits and pieces of his past became more apparent to Angelus. It was two years ago during the war of the Gardens against the sorceress that he had gotten word of a young man taking command of the entire SeeD organization. That was when he had first heard the name Leonhart, but never in his life did he think he would ever get the pleasure of meeting him. Let alone work with the guy.

If they were going to establish some kind of partnership, he needed to make sure he could trust the young man.

"Squall." Angelus broke the silence, "Why didn't you tell me you were their commander?

"It wasn't important." He carelessly muttered, eyes never wandering off their desired path.

Angelus halted, angered by Squall's aloofness, "It's not important that you happen to be the ex-commander of one of the largest paramilitaries in the world? That's _bullshit!"_

Nida really hoped they weren't going to kick each other's ass before the real fighting got started. Knowing Squall for as long as he did, Nida knew the resistance fighter wouldn't stand a chance.

"It was none of your business." Squall said, getting impatient with the hold up and felt like they were wasting time.

"Then since we're on the topic of getting things out in the open," Angelus got right in his face, "If what Selphie said was true, you worked with the Forest Owls. You three were the SeeDs Rinoa _hired _to stop Galbadia!"

"_Again," _Squall glared at him, not backing down, "None of your business."

Angelus chuckled in disbelief. "I get it. Rin went to live with SeeD after the war. Being the commander, you would have had to authorize a civilian to live there. So why, Squall? Why did she really stay in Garden and not come back to Timber?"

Squall just stared at him with a stone cold expression, but in reality he was hesitating. There was so much more to all this than most people knew. It wasn't common knowledge to the general public that Rinoa had become a sorceress, which was one of the reasons why she had stayed in Garden in the first place.

Little did anyone know that Squall was given direct orders from Headmaster Cid Kramer to keep her there under SeeD's watchful eye as her powers began to develop. Squall was also her boyfriend at the time, her _knight_. This came with its own responsibilities, but he realized now where his loyalty truly lied between his duty and love. At some point he had ultimately chosen SeeD over her.

_It was duty before us. _

Squall exchanged a glance over at his fellow ex-SeeD and finally back at Angelus who impatiently awaited an answer.

"I was involved with Rinoa, too." Squall hated to admit it, but he had no choice right now. Confirming this sensitive information now could very well have its own dangerous consequences. Squall needed to play his cards right if they were going to get through this mission, to get through what seemed like the brink of war. "She stayed in Garden because of me."

Angelus still appeared skeptical, but his tone changed slightly. "Then we both understand what may be going on here."

His statement proved vague, but Squall understood. There could have been many more players to this 'game' if you wanted to call it that. They both were familiar with the Timber's struggle for independence and Galbadia's oppression. Caraway played his part in that incident, which made him a prime suspect now.

He was also Rinoa's father.

Not admitting the whole truth to Angelus was still quite the gamble, as they both didn't entirely understand what they were getting themselves into.

"There's a lot you don't know about her." Squall warned him, deciding to just imply the truth rather than coming out with it. Leaving it at that, Squall began to walk away again, but his arm caught in Angelus' forceful grip.

"Don't you walk away from me, Leonhart."

That was when Squall had finally lost it on him. "If Rinoa is involved in all this, things could get more complicated than you think! She isn't the same girl you remember her to be! She's reckless, impulsive, and dangerous if she's at all affiliated with Galbadia!"

"What makes you think she's siding with her father!?" Angelus snapped. "Rinoa _hates _her dad!"

"Why do you think Zone sold the SeeDs out to the Galbadians?" Squall retorted, "What connection does Zone have with Galbadia?"

Nida looked back and forth between the two men nervously, convinced they were going to kill each other from their dangerous proximity and quick access to their weapons.

"You think Rinoa has something to do with the attacks?" Angelus glared at him.

"It doesn't matter what I think." Squall backed away, "There's only one way to find out."

* * *

><p>Selphie, Riki and Zell cut through a back alley to get to the 'Train Graveyard'. They progressed into an opening at the mouth of the alley leading to their destination. The air smelt of stale liquor and human urine, which made Zell's face contort in disgust and stomach churn with nausea. Selphie pulled the black baklava over her face to help keep the horrid stench from entering her nostrils and mouth.<p>

Riki's brother provided them with black lightweight garbs that camouflaged into the darkness to do this job. Riki's machine gun and Selphie's Nunchaku had also been replaced with two GLOCK 19 Semi-Auto pistols that she assumed were stolen from some oblivious cops. Zell kept his on his belt hoping that he could rely on his fists to attack rather than shoot a gun. He had a terrible shot.

In the yard, they spotted five trains sitting on rusted tracks. It was late at night, so the bustle of people in the area was non-existent, but the sound of upbeat house music blaring from a speaker somewhere in the station could be heard echoing down the platform. The muffling of voices subtlety laced with the rhythmic beats of the song that also indicated that the trio wasn't alone.

It sounded like the SeeDs were having a party.

"There are five trains. Three of us." Selphie explained pressing her back against the wall behind her. Her green eyes exchanged glances with the crouching figures next to her through the eyeholes of her mask. "We have to double up. Who's down to take on two trains?"

"I'll do it." Riki volunteered without missing a beat. The small black haired galbadian looked over expectantly at Zell. "What do ya say, Chicken-wuss?"

Zell grumbled, trying to keep his cool, but failing for the most part. A heavy sigh escaped his lips, and before he volunteered, Selphie spoke up.

"Don't worry, Zell." She said patting his shoulder, "I'll do it. Since you're taking one train, you need to keep tabs on what's going on up front, kay?"

His blue eyes flashed up in the direction towards the 'party'. "They seem pretty distracted."

"Still," Selphie interjected, "They're SeeDs. They've considered every possibility. Whatever we plan to do, they thought of. Most likely they have guys watching Zone."

"Let's just get this over with." Riki dismissed, stepping into the clearing and headed to the nearest train.

Selphie stepped into her first train car after prying the doors open with a piece of scrap sheet metal. She drew her gun and held a small utility flashlight in her other hand. Unlike the trains that ran all over Galbadia, this train had a thinner, cramped intertior resembling a monorail. judging by the current state of this car from the beat up leather seats to garbage littering the floor, it seemed that this train had long since been operational. As she slowly stepped down the singular aisle, Selphie cast her flashlight along the dirty floor towards the seats, but avoided hitting the dirty windows with a beam of light.

A green wine bottle hit the toe of her boot; its contents had long since dried. She kicked at it making it roll towards the opposite wall under a seat. Other than that, she only found dirty rags and black garbage bags filled with old newspapers shredded from overuse.

When she gotten to the end of the elongated car, she found the conductors booth and opened the door; the rusted hinges creaked in protest. Investigating further, she found something curiously staring back at her. She flashed the light at it, and it blinked in response. A small smile crept across her face, and it meowed its hello. A black cat with large green eyes had perched itself onto the leather seat of the conductors chair claiming it for its bed.

Under different circumstances, Selphie would have stayed to pet the feline, but now wasn't the time to coo over a fuzzy animal. "See ya, little guy." She waved it off, making her way out of the first train and onto the second.

"First train cleared." She said into the comm.-link in her ear to the others.

* * *

><p>Laughter could be heard over the music, and a warm glow lit up the dark street. A bonfire fueled by trash and papers. He cast a frown over at his comrades and made his way into the train station.<p>

As they turned a corner, Squall counted eight of them. It took a minute to register who they all were, but their faces all seemed familiar enough. Music blared from an old stereo system. Some were singing and swaying holding brown bottles that they occasionally drank out of.

A tanned skinned man with bronze hair peered up from his conversation with an attractive blonde girl. Some others squinted their eyes and lowered their beer when they saw Squall and Nida.

The bronze haired man was just as tall as Angelus wearing a black leather jacket and a blue t-shirt with a SeeD logo on it underneath. Squall took note of this, recognizing the yellow in the emblem. It was the SeeD emblem of Balamb Garden. Some of the others, mainly the men, had tattoos on their arms or legs of that exact symbol- a sign of allegiance to the former paramilitary unit. It was a common practice amongst some of the SeeD back then to have those tattoos. It was SeeD for life.

The man wearing the SeeD shirt finally strolled over; the closer he got to the bonfire the more apparent his appearance was to Squall. He had a hooked nose and a scruffy short beard. His eyes were a reddish brown that bored right into Squall's and never lost contact.

_James Alekson. _His name popped into Squall's head instantly.

"Well," James spoke up in his Dollet accent, "Look what the cat dragged in."

"Alekson." Squall responded in a flat tone. His body was tense and back straight much like he held himself as commander.

"Hey James," Nida greeted in the friendliest of tones, "It's nice to see you again! I'm glad you guys made it out o-"

James didn't bother looking Nida's way. He raised a hand at him to get him to shut his mouth, but still stared squarely at Squall.

Angelus examined the rest of the group who eyed them like hungry dogs waiting for a cut of this meal.

"It's 'bout time our _Commanda' _finally shows his face." James taunted, his blade flashing in the light at his side. The taller SeeD stepped up right into Squall's face looking down on him, scrutinizing him.

"Where's Zone?" Squall just cut to the chase; he didn't really care for small talk.

James scoffed, his breath smelling stale with beer. "You want the Mole? He fucked us. We are fuckin' him now."

It was Angelus' turn to laugh, and this caught the attention of James and some of the other guys. "What did he do to deserve that?"

James didn't look pleased at all by the galbadian's sense of humor. Clearly he didn't know the SeeD commander's entourage very well. Among the Underground, Angelus held quite the reputation after working under Cesar for so long- especially with his work in Timber.

"Who's this _bloke_?" He spat at Squall.

"Skyros Angelus. It offends me that you, someone who worked with the Underground in Timber, have never heard of me." Angelus introduced, his signature crooked smirk fully present on his lips.

James raised his blade pointing it at him, "A household name, I reckon."

"Yup. Now if you excuse us, we want Zone." Angelus brushed him off, ignoring the blade and was not the least bit intimidated. In fact, he was getting bored of this exchange.

James burst out laughing turning towards his friends, "Ya hear that? He wants the Mole?" The rest of the group laughed like this was some kind of cheesy sitcom.

"Look." Squall cut in, grabbing the SeeD's attention, "We get he screwed you guys, which resulted in you getting run out of Timber. We can deal with him for you."

His amusement suddenly changed at the drop of a hat, stepping into Squall's face again. "This comin' from a shitty excuse for a commanda? Lemme ask you this, _Squall_. Where tha fuck were ya when we fought against the galbadians?"

Squall remained silent. James' nose almost pressed against Squall's as anger rose inside him. The rest of the group cheered and cat called. Angelus rested his hand on his blade's sheath ready for this to get ugly.

James' arm extended to gesture towards the rouge SeeDs who intently watch on, "_We _risked our men for the liberation of Timba. _We _lost our home thanks of your bloody orders durin' the war two years ago. We now know we are s'pose ta' kill Soceresses'. And yet you house one under the roof of Garden, _our home,_ because you're stickin' your cock where it doesn't belong."

Squall inhaled deeply through his nose, his eyes narrowed at the other SeeD. If Angelus could read between the lines now, he would know the truth. And by the way his brown and blue eyes glanced questionably towards him again, he did. One thing Squall was thankful for was that Angelus wasn't Zell. Whereas the blond would have blown a gasket, Angelus just looked taken aback. He was definitely going to question him later rather than make a fuss now.

"The intent of my orders back then is none of your concern." Squall stated firmly, "We want Zone _now_. We know he's here."

The bronze haired man just smirked, but all seriousness never left his eyes, "Then fight me, Leonhart. Winner gets Zone and this jolly band of SeeDs."

* * *

><p><em>"Another car cleared."<em> Riki's voice chimed in through the speaker in her ear.

_"Mine, too."_ Zell spoke soon after, _"I'm headin' west towards the entrance. I'm gonna check out what's goin' down up front."_

"Take higher ground, Zell." Selphie order him quietly, seeing a fire escape lead into the building through an emergency door. "You can scope better where they can't see you."

_"Got it."_

Selphie hide behind the last car timing herself as the other two got into their positions. She could see a shadow carefully crawl his way around the corner and up the ladder. After a few minutes, she figured it was time to get to the last train. Riki was making her way over as backup.

The small brunette readied her weapon again- a finger looped around and pressed against the trigger. Just like the last train, Selphie stepped inside soundlessly, and lucky for her, it was _passengers train_ not a _monorail_. The footprint was wider, and the seats were booths now. They were in no better shape than the ones in the other train, and some had been torn apart with a knife to get at the upholstery.

Selphie kept the flashlight lower this time as more darkness shrouded around her. The gun was thankfully just as dark as her attire, which made concealing it a lot easier. As she made her way towards the middle of the train she heard stomping sounds and then whispers. Slowly, she slid and ducked behind two chairs, her eye peering through the space between them. Just ahead two young men guarded what looked to be the car's small conductor booth.

She couldn't see as far, which made her sight unreliable, but her ears perked up to their conversation. Selphie crouched lower to the floor and then waited. The adrenaline pumping through her veins from being so close to the enemy scared her, but exhilarated her simultaneously. A reminder of the life she used to lead, and she welcomed it in all its glory.

The two men stood side by side playing guard to whatever was in the single room, both armed with swords. "So, I hear he's pissed his pants a few times. You're bro really scared the shit outta him from that last beatin', yeah?"

"He's just try'na to scare him." The other one muttered looking ahead.

"We _trusted_ this guy." The first one said, "Why'd he rat us out? I mean, it was quick, too. Those galbadians were on us within a few hours. Woulda' been cool if we actually went through with the revolution!"

_Revolution, huh? _Selphie mused. _So, this is where they're keeping Zone._ She pressed a button on her earpiece and whispered, "Target's been located. I repeat: target located. Riki you're up."

* * *

><p>"Wondering when you'd ask.' Squall grunted, and watched as James stepped back with that smirk on his face to his merry band of followers.<p>

He made his way around Squall, Nida, and Angelus in an arc like he was scoping them out. The men stood still, confident even, showing no cowardice. Nobody was going to back down tonight.

Angelus took out his blade ready to take this guy on, but James just laughed, "Two against me, is it? Now things are gettin' interestin'!"

Squall unleashed the Lionheart, which earned a few spectators to get up from their seats and create a circle around them. If they were all armed, none of them had obvious weapons on them. Squall trusted they all had concealed ones- throwing knives, daggers, and small guns. Secondary weapons, as they used to call them.

James suddenly stopped, raising a hand Angelus' way. "Ya, rebel. As much as I would love ta kick yer sorry ass. I very much wanna kick our commanda's instead. Hope that doesn't offend ya, friend."

Angelus grunted in reply, "You scared, asshole?"

James let out a laugh, a hysterical laugh that rivaled the volume of the music still blaring, "This is between SeeD. It's our fight."

"Listen to him," Squall growled, blue eyes never leaving James' figure. "I'll handle this."

"Watch the others, make sure they don't jump in." He whispered the last part to Angelus who just nodded. The black haired man backed down, standing next to Nida now.

"You heard the man." He said to the ex-SeeD. "Watch your friends."

Nida nodded in reply.

The two started this off by staring the other down, calculating their opening move. Squall wasn't surprised that James took the opportunity to come at him from above taking advance of their height difference. When his blade swooped downwards, Lionheart met it eagerly.

James realized he couldn't get him there, so he backed up calculating his next move for a moment- picking Squall's stance apart, and trying to find a weakness or any kind of opening.

Squall gave him the time, wanting to be challenged. Suddenly, James leapt through the air coming at him like a bullet, spinning his body to increase momentum in a flashy looking attack. The blade came right at him in a forceful deadlock, but it was what James had in his left hand that caught Squall's attention. Fire circulated into his opponent's fist, and it erupted and burst outwards at him.

The lion fell back feeling his skin burn and tingle with damage to his lower left torso. He gritted his teeth through temporary pain, and felt anger take control of the situation. Squall came running right at him striking the blade three times with more ferocity. And James' laugh could be heard over their clashing blades.

The SeeDs yelled suggestions and cheered their 'leader' on, making this feel more like a cockfight rather than a battle. Nida sighed, knowing that neither man was going listen to their bad advice.

Squall spun around putting more power into the next attack and parried away from an overhead strike after they broke away again. His heart raced, and his feet picked up the pace. There was no way he was going to lose this fight.

* * *

><p>"<em>Selphie!"<em> She heard him call her name through the speaker, his voice frantic. "_It's Squall. He's fightin' James! All the SeeD are distracted. Get Riki, and go for it!" _

"Riki, you heard him." Selphie whispered, "Take point."

"_Gotcha." _

Selphie slipped out from where she hid, aiming her gun towards the closest guard. She fired the bullet, which sounded off a loud crack within the train car. The man cried out in pain dropping his sword as the bullet lodged into his upper arm. The other became alert running in her direction.

Selphie's foot landed onto a seat that she used for leverage to bounce upwards. She managed to use the top of the backrests to jump from seat to seat as a means to gain some distance from the younger swordsman. The man scampered after her with his blade in hand.

Her strength was magic, and she needed to formularize a spell fast. Lightning spells proved to be dangerous inside of a metal structure such as a train, so Selphie had to immediately rule them out. Fire spells could catch on the seats burning them all alive and turning the car into an oven, and water wouldn't be much use at all.

The cadet ran at her, his stance sloppy and unprofessional. He wasn't well trained, which gave her a huge advantage. Selphie's hand drew in the spell and cast it, but not at the boy. She lunged downwards to the floor as a huge unnatural gust of wind picked up, and the floor cracked to life. Snow frosted the windows creating an icebox, feeling the frigid temperature bite into the thin fabric of her black clothing. The floor underneath the boy turned into a slick ice rink, only for him to lose his footing and fall over onto his back.

Up ahead, the other guy struggled to get back up lifting his head only to be eye to barrel with Riki smirking insanely. Her gun clicked a bullet into position, and his face went pale in fright.

"Where do ya think you're goin', kid?"

* * *

><p>After getting a few shots in, both men stood just a few feet apart at a standstill. The rest of the SeeDs were cheering James on like barbarians, chanting motivational lyrics from SeeD songs Squall knew from his past.<p>

He panted, feeling various parts of his body grow swore and blood trickled down his limbs from James' successful attempts. James didn't appear in any better shape; he had his own wounds he had to lick later.

"Face it, Commanda," James continued to taunt, "Ya failed us. What are ya now?"

"Shut up." Squall snapped, jumping right back into action. He had to muster up any energy he had left into this attack. He swiped downward, and then leveled his blade horizontally to come back up, tossing James around in the process. Meanwhile, his other hand was at work gathering what he mentally needed to cast a thunder spell.

He felt something bluntly slam into his temple, temporarily knocking Squall senseless and stumbling to the ground. He felt someone jerk his body backwards, and a fist clashed against his face causing blood to cascade out of his nostrils.

Squall blinked through tears and sinus pain when he saw a dark figure body slam into the second man who jumped into the fight. Angelus was dodging fists, grabbing limbs, flipping a couple of guys over, and throwing his own punches and flamboyant kicks.

James' growl caught Squall's attention and looked up to find the man throw himself onto him again, but this time his blade was carelessly tossed to the side opting to use his bare hands. Squall's shoulder collided into the ground, knocking his blade from his own hand. He tried to reach for it, but a black boot came down onto his hand crushing it in the process. Squall bite down through the pain, tasting copper and stifling a scream.

"What will ya do now, commanda?" James chuckled.

* * *

><p>Zell made his way towards the train the girls were in. He knew which one it was when he heard gunshots go off. Riki must have sunk bullets into one of the sorry assholes keeping watch. He smiled at the urgency of adrenaline coursing through his veins.<p>

His SeeD days felt like they were back in full swing, but these days getting were better and better.

He grabbed the handle on the outside of the train door and swung his body inside the car to join the fight. Riki struggled with one boy, kicking his blade away. The bastard proved to be reluctant to die because the girl was on the ice covered floor wrestling with the cadet who tried to pry her handgun out of her grasp despite the bullet holes in his torso and arm.

Selphie was further down fighting the other guy casting spell after spell. Zell stumbled towards the small conductor booth, yanking at the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

_SeeDs think of everythin', eh? Even lockin' doors with two guards keepin' watch. _He mentally chuckled at the irony, pulling out the gun he hoped he wasn't going to use. Pointing at the lock, Zell pulled the trigger, and the door jolted from the impact. The handle broke, and he was able to open it with the creaking of the hinges sounding like the greatest thing in the world right now.

Inside sat a terrified man tied up with a gag in his mouth, shrieking hysterically at Zell's abrupt entrance. His hands were chained together and attached to a random bar continently situated in the wall by the window. The fighter could hear a few more shots go off just outside the door and someone scampering towards the conductor booth.

Riki panted in relief seeing that they had accomplished what they came here for. She laughed, not believing her eyes.

"…holy shit." She breathed, "We got 'em!"

Selphie stumbled into the corridor after winning her own fight. She pulled her mask off in the same disbelief as Riki. "We did it!"

Zone made some alarming noises, and Zell laughed. "Let's just get him outta here."

"Lemme do the honors then." Riki pushed past him in the cramped space, and before anyone could say anything, she pulled the trigger breaking the chain. Then she suddenly took the handle of her gun and knocked Zone out with blunt force to the temple.

Zell forced Zone up to his feet and shoved him through the door, but looked to Riki for an explanation, "Did ya have to do that?"

Riki just shrugged, "What can I say? I'm a badass."

* * *

><p>"<em>Target has been located and taken into custody."<em> Selphie happily said through the comm. link in his ear, and Nida's dark eyes looked over to Angelus urgently. He could barley contain his smile. This was almost too good. "They got him! Mission accomplished!"

Angelus took down another guy, turning towards the SeeD who cowardly stayed out of the fight and let them do all the work. Squall and James were still scrapping it out.

Squall managed to get to his blade, swiping through air at an alarming speed. James was wearing down now with slower movements and sloppy combos, but persistently managed to jump at him again. Squall then sidestepped him, ducked under his attack, and took hold of his body from behind.

The blue glow of the Lionheart blinded James, feeling its razor sharp edge dig into the skin of his neck. He could feel air scraping against the inside of his throat and a thin layer of shimmering sweat on his body. He was shoved hard in the back by Squall's fist and felt volts rattle his bones.

"Not yet." Angelus watched Squall stand before James' body that lay in the dirty after losing the fight. The passion and strength exhibited during this mission was undeniably impressive. This was something he never imaged Squall was capable of when he'd first met him.

James panted through the pain from his wounds and mentally battled with hurt confidence and pride, "Y-ya win, Leonhart."

Squall didn't break into a smile, nor did he acknowledge the victory. His blue eyes peered up to the others staring at him in wonder and amazement. The ex-SeeD commander stood with a straight back regarding his newly required men and women.

"What you saw today was a demonstration of what happens when you divert from the teachings you were brought up with. You all were raised to be SeeD. To proudly wear the uniform and serve those that needs it the most. Regardless of what we were truly created for, or that we are no longer a paramilitary organization, we are still SeeD. We fight together, not with each other. You are not rouges; you are soldiers that carry integrity and dignity on your shoulders. I am Commander Squall Leonhart, and from today onward you are under my command when I call for it. Is that understood?"

Something happened then. Angelus' eyes went wide to see all the rouge SeeD stand at attention and salute all at once with such passion and vigor, he couldn't help but feel slightly envious.

"Sir, yes, sir!" They all shouted in unison.

Squall stepped away from James walking back to the two men who waited for him, "Alekson. The next time we meet, you'll get your next order. Til then you are to stay here and report anything you find."

"Oh, and just so you know, we got Zone." Angelus snickered to James before leaving, "I'd also Google me sometime if I were you. I'm quite the celebrity in these parts. Maybe next time I'll sign you an autograph."

Angelus turned his heel to follow Squall and Nida. James was left to punch the dirt watching the three men retreat and disappear into the darkness of the night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Wow! It's been a while guys! I'm sorry for the late post! Been busy with some life stuff!

You guys met the SeeDs in FH. Those guys are some of my favourite characters for some reason! James is about Quistis' age, and is a SeeD originally from Dollet. He's a bit difficult to write because of how he's supposed to sound. His accent is supposed to be close to Australian and so is the guard Selphie was fighting. James starts to play a bit of a role in the story in a future chapter. I want to have a bit of a differentiation between character's accents because I was to establish distinct differences in people based on where they are culturally from.

**UPDATE: **I was reading this over the other day and realized that it still needed some more editing. I changed a few minor things and revised it! Sorry for that!

Happy Reading!


	13. Phase XII: Interrogation

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XII<strong>

**Interrogation **

**Fisherman's Horizon**

**October 12th****th****, 2009. 0325 hrs**

Vaughn owned an old warehouse used to store old tools and materials. Frankly, it just held a bunch of useless junk in Squall's opinion, but it was a good spot to keep Zone until he woke up.

Angelus finished chaining the unconscious man's wrists to a steel chair in the middle of the room. To add to the atmosphere, a single light bulb hung from a couple of wires right above his head. This all looked like it was straight out of a mafia movie and was the perfect setting for his interrogation.

"That's about does it." He finally said, turning to Squall who stood by the door. Angelus went to meet him, brushing the dirt and flaked rust from his hands, "When he wakes up, you're gonna have a long chat with him."

"Me?" Squall asked.

He nodded, "You probably took a class or two on interrogation at your academy, right? I wanna see how a SeeD does it."

"Fine," Squall said, "Whatever." But just as he turned to leave, Angelus stopped him with the question Squall had been waiting for.

"What was James talking about back there?" He asked carefully, "About SeeD killing sorceresses. He said you housed one in Garden."

"SeeD were created to fight sorceresses. During the last war, we picked one up. She wasn't a sorceress at first, but she had taken Edea's powers when we defeated her in Galbadia Garden."

Angelus frowned looking almost sad, "Rinoa."

Squall nodded, "The Headmaster wanted to monitor her and used me to keep her there, but just before Garden officially disbanded, Rinoa ran away with Seifer."

"So, if Seifer's involved…Rinoa is, too."

Squall pushed the steel door of the warehouse open, "I'm hoping she isn't. But as I said before, she's dangerous. If Rinoa is involved in any way, we'll have bigger problems."

Angelus looked back at Zone, "When he wakes up, I suppose we will get our answer. In the meantime, we should rest up for the night."

* * *

><p><strong>October 12th<strong>**th****, 2009. 1348 hrs**

The sun was at its highest peak by the time Zell found himself perched on a wooden crate at a fishing spot that overlooked the sail boats and the sparkling sea. Unlike the other cities they had visited, the climate here was much warmer as if summer hadn't really ended.

Zell had this nagging feeling since arriving in FH a few nights ago. The similarities between here and Balamb made him think of his Ma. Due to poor cellular service and spotty Wi-fi connection, communications had been down for a while due to damaged towers in most of the Galbadian continent. The last time he'd talked to his Ma was the day before all this started, and he figured that she'd start to worry about Squall and himself.

"Man, I miss her." He sighed before sipping at the brown bottle in his hand. He had managed to score a case of 'Dollet Lager' from Vaughn's pantry as a treat to himself. Whether Vaughn would find out or not, he didn't really care. He assumed that they weren't going to be staying much longer anyways.

"That's bad for your liver." A female said from behind him.

Zell choked in surprise, coughing, and clearing his throat. He blinked through tears as the fizzy liquid found its way into his nostrils and burned.

"Didn't see ya there, Selene." Zell managed, he noticed her eye the beer case next to him.

"You're going to drink yourself to death." She playfully scolded him.

He cocked a blonde eyebrow, "What do y'know?"

"I studied medicine and health my whole life before coming here." She stated, "I know a little more than you do."

Zell scoffed, "Cocky, ain't we?"

Selene laughed, "You take a lot very seriously. I am only joking."

Zell grumbled taking another swig and looked out at the ocean again. The sounds of patrons at a nearby fish market acted as a temporary distraction from the conversation, and the view of the sea reminded him of his summer vacations as a cadet.

"You said you missed someone?" Selene asked him after a few moments.

Zell laughed, embarrassed. "Y-yeah, you heard that?"

"A girlfriend?"

His face went a dark shade of red, "N-no! I-I don't have a girlfriend!"

She smiled, "That's good."

Zell took the hint. Selene was looking at him with this dazzling smile on her face, and the way the sun hit her tanned skin made him feel all the more nervous. She had her hair down today, and it was wavy from the sea salt and moisture in the air. He had to admit that she was probably the prettiest girl he'd seen in a while.

"My Ma." He felt the need to explain, "She lives back home in Balamb. I haven't seen her since my last birthday. I haven't even told her what's been goin' on. To tell her me 'n Squall are okay."

"I'm sure you will get the chance." Selene assured him, "Is Squall your brother?"

Zell laughed out loud, "No, he's not! We've been livin' together since Garden shut down. But…I guess he kinda _is_ like a brother now. My Ma took him in, too, and treats him like another son. Squall can be a bit of an asshole, but he's my best friend. Man, I'm just glad he's here because I wouldn't know what to do without him."

Maybe it was all the alcohol he consumed because he found himself rambling and hoped she didn't find him annoying. Selene still seemed interested though.

He realized then that he knew nothing about her, "How about you? How long have you been doin' this?"

Selene took in the view again and sighed, "About a year. I moved to Galbadia from Trabia to learn more about healing magic. I have a father and a little sister. Both work in medicine as well."

Zell raised his brows, "Wow, that's quite a family."

"How so?"

He scratched his head, "Most of us were orphans. I got lucky, and Ma adopted me. Selphie's got no family, and Squall has a fucked up relationship with his father."

"That is very unfortunate." Selene frowned. "My family is my life. I may be away from home, but I still think about them everyday."

"How do you deal with bein' away from them if it's been a year?" Zell asked her, hoping she had some kind of 'magical healing remedy' for homesickness.

"I have pictures of them in my phone. I also call them when I can. I know what you mean, though. It has been quite eventful lately, and I have not to the time to call my father."

"I guess," Zell nodded, "At least someone else gets it. I mean Riki has her brother, but how does Angelus deal with it? I'm sure his family would have an issue with his work."

She shook her head. "Angelus does not have one anymore. He lost them at a young age, and he does not talk about it very much."

"I wouldn't blame him." Zell said. The two fell into silence, taking in the horizon again. Calm periods like these were seldom lately, and their talk of family distracted them from what was really going on out there.

Zell stole a glance at the blonde women again, and the nervousness in his gut never subsided.

Selene asked suddenly. "Mind if I have one?"

Zell furrowed his brow, "Hold up! You said-"

She went to pick up a brown glass bottle from the box, "One would not hurt. Besides, I like talking to you like this. If this is what you enjoy, I might as well also."

He couldn't help but smile at the blonde and flipped the bottle cap off with a bottle opener.

_Damn, she's so pretty._

* * *

><p><strong>1630 hrs<strong>

Selphie sat on top of a workbench swinging her legs back in forth as it was her turn to watch over the unconscious Zone. She hummed a tune trying to pass the time.

She spent most of the morning fighting to get out of bed, and after three and a half hours of hitting the snooze button, she finally got up. She took over watch, armed with her trusty Nunchaku this time. Her eyes examined the man sitting in the chair. His head hung and chin pressed against his chest.

Zone looked relatively the same as he did when they'd met during that first mission despite the cuts and bruising on his face and arms. His white tank top had been stained with blood and dirt. His black pants were covered in dust, shredded, and fraying at the pant legs. Selphie just sighed and jumped off the bench to stand.

_The SeeDs must've tortured him. _She thought, stepping closer to the body. _Why did you betray the resistance? What would make someone do that? _

_Is it worth being a traitor? _

The steel door opened then, and she turned to see Angelus and Riki stroll in. Riki was next to watch Zone, which meant Selphie was done for the day. Good, she was getting bored sitting alone in the warehouse.

"How is he?" Angelus asked her, and Selphie pouted at their captive.

"Still out cold."

Angelus flashed his attention to Riki, "You keep watch. I have to talk to Selphie."

The girl nodded, not putting much thought in what they needed to discuss.

Angelus and Selphie walked out of the building and into the open street. This road was a backstreet that most refugees and civilians chose to stay away from because there was not much here to begin with. The buildings in the area were sheet metal storehouses and auto scrap yards that didn't look particularly safe- the perfect place to house a traitor.

"I didn't get to congratulate you on a job well done, Selph." Angelus smiled. "You did really well taking command."

Selphie blushed. His overly friendly behavior made her nervous. "Thanks. What're you guys gonna do with him?"

Angelus frowned, "There's some stuff Squall and I need to discuss with him."

She didn't like how vague he sounded just now. "What kinda 'stuff'?"

A smirk crossed his lips, "Nothing your pretty little head needs to worry about until after the interrogation."

"Uh…okay." She replied, skeptically. "I guess I should go then."

"Wait." Angelus chuckled, and she stopped. "I wanted to tell you something else."

Selphie lifted her head curiously, "Is everything okay?"

He smiled genuinely, placing his fingers to her cheek. Selphie froze, knowing where this was going. "I can't stop thinking about you. You're really something else, Tilmitt."

"I…am?" she blinked.

He nodded, "You're a strong fighter, and a smart girl. You're also valuable to us. I think you'll fit in just fine and make a great UA agent when this is over."

She laughed nervously, "I try." Angelus moved his face closer to hers, and Selphie felt the same feeling she did when Squall kissed her a few nights ago. Shocked.

But this time was kind of different.

"You're beautiful are you when you fight. Hell, you're even more beautiful right now."

_Beautiful, _She scoffed mentally; _Squall's kissed me twice, and he wasn't _this_ charming. _Angelus was smart and charismatic and had a way to make her feel like she _actually _mattered.

His left hand tilted her face slightly, and his lips innocently found the skin of her cheek. Selphie inhaled his musky scent, as her body got warmer.

Angelus had warmth, humor, and determination.

Squall had coldness, animosity, and confusion.

But this was a mission, and Angelus was her _leader_. Angelus made her feel like something could happen, but then again he didn't seem to take love seriously enough. He always wanted to have a good time, and that reminded her a lot of Irvine.

Squall, if he ever _would_ commit, might take it seriously. He took everything seriously. Her feelings for Squall wasn't anything new, and wasn't some sudden realization she had the moment he kissed her in the quad or even in Timber. They hadn't even _talked _about it yet, and she doubted they even would. The guilt in the pit of her stomach told her differently, that she could still hope.

She sighed, and pushed herself away. "I'm flattered you feel that way and you're a great guy, but you're my leader. I don't think this would be a good idea."

Angelus didn't react the same way Irvine did when she rejected him and just laughed it off. "Well, at least you know. Maybe when all this blows over. If not, we can be cool with each other."

She nudged him in the chest. "You goof. A girl just rejected you, and you think it's funny!"

"Believe me," He chuckled, "I may be a ladies man, but I've had my fair share of rejection. It doesn't faze me anymore."

Angelus went serious just then. "You're a good agent if you stick around long enough."

"Thanks," Selphie beamed, strolling away from him, "And tell me how it goes tonight! I wanna hear all about it!"

"Will do."

Selphie turned her heal and dashed down the street to go find Nida. Maybe he's be down for a game of cards.

* * *

><p><strong>1921 hrs<strong>

Zell had lost count of how many beers he consumed in the last few hours. The sun was setting, and Selene had long gone after the one she had. His world seemed kind of a blur, and he couldn't keep count of how many boats were out there now. He belched and leaned against the wall behind him while sitting on the ground.

"That's disgusting." Squall said, sitting down on the crate.

Zell raised his beer to cheers the man, but he realized Squall wasn't holding a beer in his hand. "Hello ta' ya', too, bro."

"Seriously, Zell." Squall shook his head at the almost empty box of beer, "Where did you even get all that?"

Zell pushed himself up and smiled sheepishly, "Vaughn's stash." Squall rolled his eyes, "What? Sharin' is carin', man! Take one!"

Squall sighed and grabbed the one Zell shoved in his face. With the day he had thus far, he needed it. As he made his way to the warehouse earlier, he witnessed something that questionably stirred his emotions. It actually bothered him more than anything.

It was a private moment between Angelus and Selphie.

What he _really _couldn't understand was why he was upset. Selphie wasn't his or anything, and they hadn't talked at all since leaving Timber. For some reason he had a problem with that, and Squall knew he was also partially at fault.

He took a mouthful of beer and swallowed, staring out at the water.

"I feel like we haven't talked much, man." Zell spoke up, the slurring in his voice simmering down; he must have been sobering up. Squall was thankful for that.

"Not much to say." Squall replied.

"Well," Zell grinned, "I scored a girlfriend."

Squall burst out laughing, "A girlfriend!? Where the hell did you get a girlfriend?"

Zell looked offended, gesturing to his face, "How can a girl say 'no' to this?"

"Does she _know_ she's your girlfriend?" Zell looked surprised, and Squall laughed again. "So that's a no."

"Hey!" Zell snapped, "Least I make the effort, bro. Unlike some people I know."

Squall drank, "Are you gonna lecture me about Rinoa again?"

Zell waved him off and gulped down some more lager. He wiped his mouth from the moisture, "Rinoa! That's _old_ news. I'm talkin' bout _Selphie_."

"I do _not_ like Selphie Tilmitt!"

Zell sputtered in disbelief, "Seriously? There's so much sexual tension there I can't even breathe when I'm around you two."

Squall waved a hand firmly, "There's _nothing _going on between us."

Zell snickered, "You want there to be!"

Squall was pretty sure that his composure was coming apart at the seams, and Zell knew this from the redness in his cheeks. "She doesn't even wanna talk to me. Besides, I think she may be into Angelus."

It was Zell's turn to laugh out loud, "You serious!? That guy's like Irvine! I highly doubt she would make that mistake again. I mean, look at you? You're a good lookin' guy-"

"I'm not talking about this anymore!" Squall exclaimed, standing up to leave, but Zell grabbed his arm.

"Psh! Fine then!" Zell shouted, "Least stay for 'nother." He gave Squall a sloppy SeeD salute, "SeeD's honor! I'll shut up about Selphie."

Squall sighed, and plopped down on the crate again, only to have Zell pop off the cap of another bottle.

* * *

><p><strong>2101 hrs<strong>

His vision was blurred and the darkness around him didn't make it any easier to see. Fuck, his swollen eye wasn't helping either. He couldn't remember where he was or how he even got here, and his most recent memories were muddled images in his mind. He remembered the train and being tied up. The SeeDs beating the shit out of him daily since they arrived in FH, but was this FH? Was he still here…or was he dead?

A light bulb flickered to life over his head, and he tried with his last remaining strength to jerk at the chains that bound him in the chair he sat on. The rusted chains rubbed against the raw skin of his wrists digging further into his wounds only to draw blood.

When his vision finally cleared, he saw two pairs of black combat boots just a few feet in front of him. Zone slowly raised his head as the two men looked down on him expectantly.

Initial shock set in upon recognizing them. These were two guys he would've never imaged to be standing side-by-side right here in front of him. It scared the shit out of him, too.

Skyros Angelus and himself went back a few years from their time working together in the Forest Owls. At fifteen and expertly trained with a blade, Angelus joined up with their resistance faction proving to be quite the asset to the team. Not only was he an exceptional combatant, he was also an expert on hacking high security networks and computer systems, which uncovered a lot of information about the government.

Regardless, Zone hated his guts due to his close relations with Rinoa. She always seemed interested in him, spending more time with Angelus than anyone else. Zone couldn't have been happier when Angelus' ass was moved back to Deling City when he started his new job three years ago.

The second man stood at five-foot-ten with his arms crossed and a straight back; a force of habit from his military days. That man was none other than Squall Leonhart. He had a long list of accomplishments and acts of heroism, which made his presence somewhat surprising. He was an elite student from Balamb Garden, then promoted to SeeD Commander within three months after graduation. His most notable accomplishment was leading the SeeDs into a war against Galbadia and their sorceress and claiming victory. Despite all this, no man was a success without his failures and faults.

Zone also blamed him for Rinoa's wellbeing, or there lack of, during the war. In his eyes, Squall Leonhart was still a piece of shit, and if it weren't for him, Rinoa wouldn't have become a sorceress. Squall had _promised _him that she would be okay, and the next thing he knew Rinoa had almost died out in space, was possessed by some crazy ass sorceress bitch from the future, and was now one herself.

One had an extensive military background, and the other had an equivalent amount of experience with the Underground Association. These two were probably the deadliest duo, and now major players to this 'game'.

It was just too bad he wasn't on their side anymore.

"Zone." He immediately recognized Squall's deep voice, "Nice of you to join us."

"S-Squall…" He coughed, feeling unbearable pain in his ribs. Something was definitely broken there, "A-A-Angelus?"

"Why, hello." Angelus greeted him, standing just behind Squall. That crooked smirk on his stupid face had never changed. "Now that we're all acquainted, Squall, what are we doing here tonight?"

Squall twirled a small Swiss Army utility knife between his fingers, "I'm gonna ask you a few questions. You better tell me the truth. Makes things a lot easier for everyone."

Zone's heart raced when he saw the merciless look in the gunblader's eyes. "W-what're you doin'!? Why am I here!? What're you gonna do w-with me!?"

Squall stepped forwards, the blade shimmering from the overhead light bulb. "Cooperate, and we will guarantee you that we wont kill you. Make this harder on yourself, and we could if we want to."

"I-I don't know anythin'! Swear to god! _Please, _Squall…c'mon, man! Don't do this!" Zone screamed, his voice raspy.

In his blue eyes, Zone could see a twinkle of sick amusement when Squall looked back at Angelus again who just nodded in return. They were exchanging a silent dialogue that he couldn't even begin to understand. Angelus then simply walked around the chair and unchained his hands. Zone wanted to feel momentary relief, but this strange action didn't necessarily mean that they were just going to set him free now that he woke up.

His left wrist was readjusted and chained to the leg of the steel chair, but his right one was jerked and twisted only to slam into the table next to him. Squall held on tightly disregarding his injuries and ignoring Zone's cry of discomfort.

"Now, Zone." Squall spoke carefully. "What happened in Timber?"

"I-I…was fightin' against the Galbadians." He breathed out, eyeing the blade Squall held closely.

"Were you?" He sounded interested. Squall's tone was uncharacteristic of him in comparison to his usual monotone. He sounded taunting, more animated like he was playing a role- like he was someone else entirely. Squall patiently tapped the small blade against the edge of the table a few times, "Who were you fighting with?"

"The SeeDs. J-James and Nida." He let out, terrified.

Squall's eyes flashed towards Angelus who came over to quickly take hold of his right wrist. The black haired man squeezed hard, pressing his wounds for good measure leaving Zone to desperately gasp for air.

"What were they planning?"

He hesitated, and Angelus slammed his wrist down so hard it almost broke the wooden table. "Answer him!"

"A revolt!" He shouted, beads of salty sweat dripping into his eyes, "They were gatherin' men in the city to attack the Galbadians in the streets!"

"Why were the Galbadians in Timber? Why did they send in more troops and arrest all the civilians?"

Zone hesitated again because he struggled to breathe, and that's when Squall finally snapped. He shoved Zone's chair backwards forcefully, and when Zone opened his dark swollen eyes he was met with blue ones glaring right back and just inches away. That Swiss Army knife was also pressed against Zone's Adams apple.

These guys weren't fucking around.

After a few moments of regaining _some _kind of composure, Zone managed to explain without hesitating this time, "The violence in the city was gettin' worse…the clashes between SeeD and the Galbadians was escalatin'! They stopped all travel in and outta the city and controlled the media to make everyone else believe a riot wasn't goin' on there."

It was Angelus' turn to speak up, "They disarmed the communication towers in the area. They began to do the same in Dollet. Are these attacks related in any way?"

Squall pressed the blade further, trying to get the answer out quicker. "Were they?"

Zone nodded, tears falling onto his cheeks mixed with the sweat. "Yes! Dollet had been buildin' more towers, as far south as Timber. It was interferin' with the mission. When Caraway asked the Mayor to seize production, he refused."

"Why did he refuse?" Squall asked.

"Because he didn't know that Timber was at war! Nobody did except those within the city. It was an isolated incident…they needed the main communication tower again to keep it a secret."

"Are any other cities gonna be attacked?" Squall spoke carefully to articulate every world. This was something the two hadn't considered yet, something they hadn't officially discussed. It was a likely possibility, and Squall needed to consider every single one.

"I-I don't know. But if anyone else interferes with Galbadia's plan, they wont hesitate to attack."

"You mentioned Caraway is involved in this. And you betrayed your side," Squall continued, feeling like right now was a good time as any to get the one question they both wanted answered. "Why did you betray SeeD?"

Zone opened his good eye and stopped his rambling right there. He breathed steadily feeling the blade pointed at his throat, but it didn't go any deeper. Blood streamed out of the wounds staining the neckline of his white shirt. "Come out with it, Zone."

"I-I…" he struggled. The blade pulled back and so did Leonhart. He moved quickly, and Zone shrieked when the blade came down between his spread middle and ring fingers sinking into the old wood with a swift thud.

"Zone, do you like your hands?" Squall suddenly asked him. "Because if you don't tell us why you went to the Galbadians and betrayed SeeD, I will cut your fingers off one by one!"

"I didn't go to a soldier!" He cried out, feeling all his emotions desperately burst out at once. His voice echoed throughout the warehouse.

"Then who was it!?" Squall yelled, and Zone hesitated.

Just then Angelus tore Squall away, grabbed his shirt roughly, and lifted him up from his seat. "You mother fucking piece of shit! If you don't tell me right now, I'm gonna rip your eye ball out and feed it to you as your last meal!"

Squall's arm shoved between the two bodies, pressing Angelus away from their captive before he could do anything stupid. "Angelus, calm down! I got this!"

The galbadian caught his breath backing away and letting Zone drop back into the chair. Before he could slide off, Squall grabbed his shirt again, pointing the blade to the man's pupil this time. "Zone, who did you go to about SeeD's plan?"

His dark eyes tried to ignore the blade pointing in his face, so he could look Squall directly in the eyes. He spoke quietly as if a third person was in the room, and he only wanted Squall and Angelus to know.

"Rinoa."

Squall exchanged glances with Angelus upon hearing this. Their expressions mirrored each other as every fear, every speculation they had was just confirmed.

Squall couldn't even speak, so Angelus had to ask the last question. "Where is Rinoa right now?"

Unlike before, Zone didn't hesitate. "Deling City."

Squall backed away, folding up the blade, and began to walk out of the warehouse right past Angelus. His body shook in anger, and his fists clenched up at his sides.

"We leave for Deling City in the morning," was the last thing he said before the warehouse door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** And there you have it! Rinoa's involvement is finally confirmed! The interrogation scene was really fun to write, and I felt like the whole Squall and Selphie thing had been put on the back burner in the last few chapters, so it's nice to see them thinking about it. We'll just have to see how this all plays out. The next chapter is shorter from what I remember, so I'll post that one sooner than usual.

Read and Review guys!

Happy reading!


	14. Phase XIII: A Truce

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

**Phase XIII**

**A Truce **

**Fisherman's Horizon/Western Exist **

**October 13th****th****, 2009. 0945 hrs**

Squall got comfortable in the driver's seat waiting for the rest of the group to settle and pack their supplies in the trunk. He glanced at himself in the side mirror of the car noticing dark circles and bags rim his eyes. Just as he yawned for the millionth that morning, Angelus walked by looking just as exhausted.

The two had called it a late night, but couldn't get much sleep from the events that took place in the warehouse.

After their little meeting with Zone the night before, the two had a hard time falling asleep. Squall spent most of the night lying on Vaughn's living room floor just staring at the ceiling. For the first time in ages, he found himself thinking about Rinoa. As he mentioned before to Angelus, her involvement in all this could cause severe complications. They weren't just dealing with the Galbadian government anymore, but a sorceress that could very well destroy cities, kill innocent people on a whim, and cause devastation as she saw fit.

"Gimme a hand here, Leonhart." Angelus called him. Squall took a final sip of his black coffee and tossed the paper cup aside. He dragged himself out of the driver's seat to tend to the large black garbage bag that sat on the ground just behind their SUV.

As Angelus grabbed Zone's ankles, Squall took his shoulders to hoist him into the trunk. The garbage bag was Angelus' idea in the case they were pulled over by highway patrol at any point of their journey. Zone didn't seem to mind; he was out cold thanks to a heavy sleep spell cast on him earlier this morning.

Squall slammed the trunk shut. "What if he wakes up?"

Angelus scratched his head, stifling a yawn, "Then Selphie's gonna cast another spell."

Vaughn walked over slapping the black body of the vehicle, "You bring this one back, ya hear? I don't get cars like these very often."

"We will, Vaughny boy." Angelus waved him off.

Squall walked up to Nida, "You sure you wanna stay here?"

"Yeah, don't worry about me." Nida told him. "I'm good with the SeeDs."

Squall nodded, "Keep your eye on them. Make sure James doesn't do anything stupid."

"Gotcha, sir." Nida saluted, and Squall made his way back to the driver's seat. He stuck the key into the ignition, and the car rumbled to life. After everyone got strapped in, Squall drove the car onto the dirt road leading out of Fisherman's Horizon towards the northbound highway that lead to Deling City.

* * *

><p><strong>Estharian Presidential Palace- Esthar City <strong>

**1650 hrs**

The doors to the presidential office burst open, and the quick clicks of pointed heels announced her arrival. She was formally dressed in full uniform, consisting of a light blue blazer with gold Esthari trim stitched into the shoulder pads, and a matching pencil skirt. Her short blonde bob brushed against the top of her shoulders and framed her face. Blue eyes were trained ahead, peering through black rectangular glasses at the man sitting behind his large glass desk.

In toe was her second in command, Xu. She wore a similar uniform with less metals pinned to the breast of her blazer. Her brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun, and her expression was stoic to match her superiors.

The women purposely walked onwards until they stopped their gait right in front of President Loire himself.

Contrary to the warnings and empty threats of his secretary, the president let out a heavy sigh of relief, tearing his eyes away from all his authorization paperwork. "Thank god! I was getting _so_ bored of…" he re-read the heading of the document, "Taxes on condo developments?"

"Seriously," He said, "I honestly wouldn't bother livin' in one of those. It's so _confinin',_ and the prices are _insane_. Even I wouldn't pay that! Have you _seen_ the cost of maintenance fees in Esthar? Is that _normal_?"

"Mr, President," Quistis Trepe saluted him, "We have received information on what's going on outside the HEX Shield."

"Finally!" He moved himself around the large desk, throwing his hands in the air, "I haven't heard from anyone in over a month."

"You wont like the news, sir." Xu said, curtly.

His green eyes looked over at the ex-SeeD turned lieutenant of his army, "Please, we've been through this. Laguna is fine."

"Just being professional on the clock, sir."

He looked at his watch, "Well, you got ten minutes, and after that you can cut the 'sir' crap."

"President Loire," Quistis interrupted, "Our sources tell us that Dollet has been attacked as well."

Laguna looked at her, shocked, and in utter disbelief. He felt like he was going to faint. He needed to depend on the desk behind him for support. "Is he…"

He allowed air to fully enter his lungs to maximum capacity and then back out slowly. His doctors always told him to take deep breaths to elevate the leg cramps, "Is there any word on my son's well bein'?"

Quistis' eyes softened, "No, sir. I had some of my men flown into Galbadia, and Squall has not turned up yet."

"Any reason why Dollet would be attacked?" Laguna asked her, "Is this somethin' we need'a worry about, Trepe?"

"Upgrades have been made to the shield." Quistis assured him. "It's cloaking and security detection software are running the latest version."

For the past two years, the eastern continent was at peace. Esthar had been running as smoothly as ever under his administration and still isolated itself from the rest of the world. Laguna Loire couldn't help but feel trapped within the walls of this metropolis. His men constantly reminded him that it was for his own safety as he was the President, but that didn't stop him from worrying. His own flesh and blood, his _son_, was still out there somewhere. He could have been displaced, injured, or even dead for all he knew.

Despite lost time, and Laguna's lack of paternal presence in the kid's life, he still deeply cared for Squall. If memory served, he was nineteen now and no longer a child. He had rushed through childhood and adolescence to survive in this world, he had become a SeeD and a commander soon after. Squall would be fine. He had to be. He didn't need his old man to protect him. He may not need his old man _period. _

And that thought triggered memories that Laguna struggled with for the past couple of months.

_Squall, please, don't go! _

_Fuck you, I don't need you! I never have. I've been fine all these years on my own!_

He remembered his son saying those hurtful words on Christmas Eve less than a year ago before he abruptly took the next flight back to the western continent.

They hadn't spoken a word since.

_What am I doin' wrong, Raine? _He found himself asking his late wife more often now.

"Laguna?" Xu finally asked.

Laguna looked up and turned his frown upside down. "Just report back with anything you find."

"And if we find him?" Quistis asked.

"Do whatever you can to bring him here where he will be safe." Laguna said firmly, walking around his desk, "Now, back to condos."

* * *

><p><strong>October 16th<strong>**th****, 2009. 2045 hrs**

Three straight days on the road and the group were really feeling the effects of it. They stopped their journey to Deling City by Obel Lake, settling around a campfire roasting marsh mellows that Riki insisted them buy. Zell bought a pack of hotdogs from a gas station and slide one onto a skewer. He passed it to Selene, and she smiled in return.

"Thank you."

"No prob, these are the best kinda hotdogs." He told her, "Well, 'sides from the ones at Garden that is. I used to go nuts for those."

"Ew, do you even know where the meat comes from?" Riki asked him. Her face pulled a disgusted frown at the processed meat hovering over the campfire. Angelus rolled his eyes knowing where this was going.

"I don't even wanna know! You're gonna ruin it!"

"It's from-"

"LA-LA-LA I can't hear you!" Zell shouted, clamping his hands over his ears. As everyone laughed, Selphie's eyes scanned the woods around them, anticipating Squall's arrival with the firewood. He'd been gone for almost an hour now, and there was still no sign of him. Selphie stood up.

"Where ya goin'?" Riki asked her.

"I gotta pee."

Watching her leave, Zell was wide-eyed, "TMI, girlfriend. Seriously, didn't need to know that!"

Selphie's brown boots stomped against the earth of the rather dense forest that lined the lake. Mist rested on the water's surface from the chilly bite in the air. The moon had a way of highlighting the calm ripples of the lake and the green bush around it, creating a mystical atmosphere.

Up ahead she could see someone perched on a rock, tossing stones, and watching them skip across the surface. They were clad in dark clothing, and she didn't doubt who that was.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked him, as another rock skipped three, no four- five times across the water until it plunged into the lake. He didn't bother answering her and tossed another. Selphie awkwardly curled herself up into a ball on the ground near the rocks, watching the pebbles skip and their distance increasing each time.

Finally Squall spoke, asking the same question that started all of this. "What do you want?"

"What's up?" She asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Nothing." He retorted, hopping off the rock. "Now if you'll excuse me-"

"Don't walk away from me!" Selphie shot up from her spot on the ground.

Squall let out a frustrated sigh, "I don't have anything to say to you."

"Well, I have a lot to say to you!" She insisted, "And you better stick around and hear it because I can't stand us not talking. I don't know what's going on anymore, and you wont justify me with an answer. You just get mad every time I talk to you, like I'm bothering you, and I don't even know what I did!"

"Selphie, what do you want me to say!?" Squall turned on her, "There's nothing going on here, so stop thinking about it."

Selphie scoffed, "Excuse me? There _is_ something _going on here!_ You _kissed _me, Squall!"

He stomped over to her, looking more frustrated than a behemoth with a thorn in its foot. "You and I both know you were planning on following that person you thought was Stacy. I needed to catch you off guard to protect you."

"To _protect _me?" Selphie echoed, "Since when do I need protecting? I knew what I was doing- and how _dare_ you mess with my emotions like that!"

A smirk unexpectedly cross his face, "It isn't hard."

Selphie shouted, "What did I do, huh? What did I do for you to be such a jerk!?"

He shook his head fed up with this conversation. "Are you done? I'm sure Angelus is getting worried."

Selphie blinked, "Angelus? What do you…Oh my god!"

How could she be so dense? How could _he _be so…_stupid?_ Seriously? Angelus? That only meant one thing.

Squall was jealous.

Selphie's hysterical laughter didn't ease the awkwardness of the situation. Squall had enough of this conversation.

Just as quickly as he turned to leave, her small hand grabbed his larger one, yanking at his arm.

"I'm sorry…it's j-just…_so _funny!" Her laughter began to die down, "I'm not the least bit interested in Angelus."

"Then why-"

She straightened, and a coy smile crossed her face when she saw the frown on his, "Wow!"

"What?"

"You're _jealous!" _

"I'm _not _jealous!"

"Just admit it already! You thought something was happening between us all this time, and you got mad!"

"Selphie, honestly-" He looked down to see her hand extended out to him, "What are you doing?"

Selphie smiled brilliantly, "A truce!"

"Excuse me?"

She sighed, knowing he was intentionally stalling, "We've done nothing but fight since all this started! I'm willing to start with a clean slate. What do you say?"

Reluctantly, he gave her his hand. They shook on it, but she twisted hers out of his grip to stick up her pinkly. "No, I already shook on it."

"This seals the deal, Leonhart! So, what's it gonna be?"

Squall sighed again, hoping nobody else was watching. They pinky swore on it, and suddenly he felt like he was four again.

"We never talk about this." He warned her.

Selphie giggled, SeeD saluting him. Squall stepped closer to her, analyzing her careless posture and the straightness in her arm and fingers.

"You should regard your superiors with more respect, SeeD Tilmitt. I should demote you a rank for that." He spoke firmly, grabbing her forearm.

He thought he saw a twinkle in her eyes when she rotated her arm from his grip to playfully jab him in the chest.

"Not a chance, _Commander." _Selphie teased, and he let her go. As she walked away from him, Squall suddenly watched her every movement with interest, "I'm gonna hit the hay. Night, Squall!"

Her body disappeared into the shadows towards the others again leaving him alone again. Squall allowed a smile, "Goodnight, Selphie."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for the long wait and the shorter chapter! This chapter is short, but sets the stage a little bit for a few elements in this story for future chapters. We are reintroduced with three canon characters! Quistis, Xu, and Laguna. Whenever Laguna is mentioned the same quote is used over and over about an incident between himself and Squall last christmas. We may found out soon what this was all about.

Selphie and Squall have come to an agreement about their unstable friendship...relationship or whatever it is. This chapter begins to mark their story arc together as well. And finally, Zone is on his way to Deling City where Rinoa apparently is right now. We'll see how all this is going to play out for Squall and the others.

I'll be (hopefully) posting soon because this chapter is, again, quite short. It's also not as action packed, but believe me, there's more to come!

Enjoy!


	15. Phase XIV: Deling City

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XIV<strong>

**Deling City**

**Deling City, Galbadia/Galleria Suburbs**

**October 20th****, 2009. 2102 hrs**

They parked the car and followed Angelus, Riki, and Selene to an abandoned office building. The cities layout was like day and night. The hustle and bustle was centralized around the galbadian presidential palace, luxury restaurants, and expensive fashion boutiques. The suburbs, on the other hand, were in shambled abandoned buildings and dirty streets that the government left unkempt and ignored.

They also had no idea that these buildings inhabited the central hub of the largest organization in the world: The Underground Association or UA for short.

The term 'right under their nose' was used in the literal sense here as all the main offices and training facilities were located underground and out of plain sight.

Angelus and the group took an old industrial elevator that was probably used for shipping at one point, to the lower levels of a larger building. The sound of strained creaking under their weight told them it had been heavily used, and probably still operated on a daily basis.

When the door flung open at their desired floor, what Squall, Zell, and Selphie saw instantly shocked them. An endless amount of cubicles filled up the room with people manically rushing around with documents in their hands while conversing with others. Right by the elevator, they were met with two stern looking men holding galbadian issued rifles. One had a series of tattoos covering his tanned muscular arms, while the other was blonde and equally as fit.

By the time Angelus approached them, their tense postures fell lax, "Rodney, Echo," Angelus greeted, "How's it going boys?"

"Hey, man." The blonde one called Echo smirked, "You come bearin' gifts?" His brown eyes noticed the tied up man with a canvas bag over his face that Squall and Zell had been dragging along.

Angelus glanced over, amused and proud of their catch, "We were playing a bit of wack-a-mole down south in FH. Had so much fun we decided to take him with us, ain't that right, Leonhart?"

"Where'd you want him?" Squall replied, ignoring the surprised looks on both Rodney and Echo's faces as they exchanged questionable glances with each other.

"Follow us." Rodney's deep voice instructed before he turned his heel to guide them through the mess of resistance agents going about a chaotic day.

"Are they always like this?" Zell asked Riki.

She nodded, "Yeah, they're responsible for any information that comes in from all over the world. The Government in each country separates them by floor. These guys, if you can't already tell, are Galbadia. Lot's of shit happens here that most people don't know 'bout."

Zell warily looked to Squall, who just shrugged and shoved Zone's struggling figure forward. When they got to another door, Angelus gestured for them all to follow, but Rodney and Echo chose to stay behind to continue to guard at their post.

When they all disappeared, Echo looked over at Rodney and smirked, "Did he just say _'Leonhart'_?"

"Dude, this just got _so_ much better. Only Angelus can convince a guy like that onto _our _side."

* * *

><p>The next corridor was narrow with offices of higher ups lining it. Gold plaques with their names and position in black lettering hung next to their doors, but they didn't stop until they reached the one at the very end of the hall.<p>

"Here we are and just on time." Inside the room, a familiar face sat at the head of the empty grey table with a bright screen behind him. This place looked more like a war room than anything else and a lot nicer than Vaughn's in FH. It was remarkable how professional this organization was, especially since it was all a secret.

"Take a seat, y'all." Cesar ordered. This time he was dressed in a black uniform issued by the association, consisting of a leather zip up pull over and black military cargo pants. Wrapped around his left bicep, a colored band displaying three simple black dots on it indicated the faction and division he represented.

Everyone took their seats closer to the screen, but Angelus and Squall remained standing to hold up their captive. Cesar walked around the table to meet them, his posture straight and strode with great confidence and intent. He stopped right in front of Zone, all business like. Cesar reminded Squall of a drill sergeant he had back at Garden as a cadet in his younger years, and everyone was scared shitless of that guy.

"Is this him?" He asked in a low galbadian drawl. Squall nodded. "Take off the bag."

Angelus did just that, revealing the traitor that ran SeeD and some of their men out of Timber. They lost their fight because all of him.

Zone, on the other hand, looked petrified.

"What's yer name, son?" Cesar asked him, casually.

"Z-Z-Zone, sir." He barely made out, dark eyes not connecting with the fierce look Cesar gave him.

"Ya understand what ya did?"

"Y-yes, sir."

An eerie smile crossed Cesar's face just then, " Y'know what we do with guys who break the rules?"

"No."

He cleared his throat. "These two men will take ya down to the cells. Ya will rot, spendin' a week thinkin' 'bout what ya did. Then ya'll stand in front of the Council. They decide what to do with yer sorry ass from there." Cesar leaned in and whispered for good measure, "It's almost always death, son. So, count yer blessin's."

Squall could feel Zone's body tremble in absolute fear through his shirt. He almost felt sorry for him, but knew that this was his duty. If Squall was going to get anywhere close to figuring out what was going on with these attacks, and how Rinoa was involved, then he needed to do what he was told.

Cesar turned around walking back to the screen again, "Take him to the cells."

Before they left the room, Selphie locked concerned eyes with Squall, but he just shook his head in response before walking out into the hall again.

* * *

><p>Zone's body hit the floor hard in the damp cell, which only provided him with a sink, a cracked mirror, a cot, and a poor excuse for a toilet. Angelus bushed his hands and nodded to the guard dressed in a similar uniform as Cesar's. The sound of the heavy door slamming finalized Zone's fate.<p>

As Angelus spun around to walk out of the cells, Squall followed, keeping up with his pace. "What's this 'council'?"

They turned a corner, "Twelve men and women you never want to stand in front of. They're the ones in charge of this whole network. They deal with people who break the rules. Zone broke the biggest one."

"So, they're gonna kill him?" Squall asked.

"Who the fuck knows or cares at this point." He dismissed.

_This place seems so…organized. What's they're ultimate motive? Defeat Galbadia?…then what? Overthrow Caraway and take over the country? _Squall thought to himself before exiting the cells.

Back in the boardroom, Squall and Angelus got into their seats. Squall took one next to Selphie who just pouted at him. It seemed like a presentation was about to begin, so he couldn't speak. To reassure her, he patted her knee under the table, and that was all she needed to turn her attention to what Cesar was about to say.

"This meetin' is a briefin' on what we'll be doin' next." Cesar started as the screen showed a map of the entire city. "But first, fill me on your findin's since ya'll been gone."

Angelus spoke first, "We went to Timber Forest to meet with our contact, but found him dead. We also discovered some men decaying in the forest and others just outside of Jenkins' house."

"We investigated the body." Squall added, "It had those large gashes you had mentioned in our previous meeting. Turns out they were inflicted by a gunblade."

"We went to Timber in hopes of talking with the Forest Fox, but the whole city was deserted. We fortunately found one remaining SeeD, Nida, who told us that Zone had relayed information to the enemy." Angelus glanced over at Squall.

"We went to FH to talk with Mr. Callahan, and he explained that most people from the Timber and Dollet attacks were now seeking refuge in FH. After the violence in Timber had escalated, the SeeDs were displaced as well, living in the old train station. We fought against them to win their allegiance and now under my command. We also interrogated Zone and he admitted to everything, but…"

Cesar's dark eyes looked expectantly at Squall from his position near the screen with arms crossed over his chest, "Go on, Leonhart."

"He never relayed the information about SeeDs' plan for a revolution to a soldier. He said that the information leaked to Fury Caraway's daughter, Rinoa Heartilly."

Cesar didn't look at all surprised nor was he pleased. He sighed, looking up at the screen. "The next mission goes as followed: Two of ya will go to the presidential ball being held in honor of Caraway's official election as President where his daughter most likely will be attendin'. The team will follow their targets seekin' any information pertainin' to the attacks and report back to me. This team consists of Leonhart and Angelus." An image broke away from the map showing the presidential palace to the side of the screen as a call out.

"Meanwhile, Callahan, Dincht, and Tilmitt will be at the mansion. Dincht and Tilmitt will arrive at 2030 to cover the graveyard shift for the guards up front." An image broke away to show Caraway's mansion just as it did with the presidential palace.

"Callahan," He called her out specifically, and she perked up, "Ya got two jobs. One: Get these boys dressed up real nice for the party. Two: Ya get to break into Caraway's private study to look around for anythin' that suggests his or the governments involvement in these attacks."

"What about me, sir?" Selene asked, raising a hand.

He smiled at her, "Communications. Keep tabs of all channels. Everyone gets a wire."

"Okay."

"This will go down tomorrow night. Be ready. Dismissed."

* * *

><p><strong>Deling City, GalbadiaCarlou Lounge **

**October 20th****, 2009. 2154 hrs**

She looked down at the city streets below as cars honked and pedestrians lugged heavy shopping bags from their night out. Deling City was not one for sleeping and early nights.

Strangely, she missed it all. She missed the city lights, the people, the high priced delicacies, the fashion, and, most of all, calling this place home. Two years ago she left Garden, and it was the best decision she ever made. Now she was free to be the woman she thrived to be, and even her father wasn't as controlling because all he wanted was his little girl back in his life. He gave her whatever she wanted now.

So much for the life of a resistance fighter, but she had others still doing that for her.

"Rinoa," He had said to her over dinner, and his green eyes shimmered in the candlelight. The smile on her face faded when she realized Seifer's signature smirk had been replaced with a frown, "You won't like this."

"What is it?" She asked, knowing that what he had to say was going to ruin dinner tonight.

Seifer wasn't one to hesitate. Rinoa always thought it derived from many years of training, "It's Zone. We lost contact with him. My sources say he went missing a few weeks ago."

"Do you think it's because of the SeeDs he ran with?" Rinoa asked, concerned, "The ones I _told _him to work for!?"

Seifer grabbed her hand, "I wouldn't blame yourself, Princess. I got some guys looking for him in Timber and in FH. We have this covered I promise." He smiled then, and she felt slightly reassured, "Just worry about what your gonna wear tomorrow night."

But Rinoa still worried. Zone was her friend, and she cared deeply for him. A nagging feeling made her believe that those SeeDs had something to do with this. Maybe they found out that he had come to her when she went to visit Timber not too long ago. SeeD considered every possibly. She had learnt this quickly between fighting along side them during the war and dating Squall Leonhart. Rinoa was well versed with their training and battle strategies now.

SeeD tried to control her when she was in Garden, wanting to keep tabs on her powers as they slowly developed. Squall was ordered to confine her there to protect her, the world, and the not so stellar reputation of Garden and SeeD. It was Seifer who confirmed it. At first she didn't believe him, but why wouldn't she? How hard was that to believe?

She was a sorceress, and he was an exiled SeeD Cadet turned knight.

When they met up again, between heated arguments and heated sex, it became evident that what brought them together was their passion for rebellion and desire to conquer the world together. That was what their relationship was all about after all.

Liberation.

* * *

><p>Lionheart cut through the air in blue arcs in an overhead swipe. It dipped low and circulated around his body. He switched hands to continue the constant flow of the dance. Squall hated dancing, but found pride in his calculated footwork in battle. His breath was attuned to the rhythm of his heartbeat as blood pumped through his veins as he savored the moment.<p>

The city streets below were lit by their billboards, signs, and traffic lights; the sounds of Deling offered him distraction and challenged Squall to tune it all out. His concentration was on his blade- the one thing he could always count on.

Selphie leaned against the doorway that led to the hotel's rooftop. Of course, Squall had a knack for finding places to be alone. It was in his nature. She could sense how content he was swinging that blade around. There was no doubt about his excellence in battle, and this was something she grew to find was his most attractive trait.

His movements were like a dance, and his gunblade was a stream of light that surrounded his taut body. He was clad in a pair of old B-Garden issued sweat pants and a white under shirt. Without his black leather vest, his back, chest, and arms were more exposed and shimmered with sweat.

Watching him like this wasn't really what Selphie came here for, but she has to admit it was quite the added bonus. She stepped out onto the rooftop when Squall finally noticed her in mid swing. Selphie found a comfortable spot on the rooftop's ledge.

Squall stopped what he was doing, grabbed a sip of water from a plastic bottle, noticing a goofy smile lingering on her lips. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, curiously raising a brow, "What?"

"Figured you'd be by yourself." She teased, handing him the white towel he snagged from his hotel room.

He tossed the bottle aside, grabbing the towel from her, "What do you want?"

Selphie giggled, "Why do you always ask me that?"

He found himself smirking, "I do ask you that a lot. But seriously…" He wiped his brow and face, feeling her tug a corner of the towel to retain his attention.

"I just…wanted to know your thoughts on the situation." Selphie spoke carefully, trying to avoid using the word 'feeling' because Squall and feelings went together like oil and water.

"It's our duty." He told her, finally catching his breath, "We don't have much choice."

Selphie pulled the towel away completely out of his grip, "I meant _Rinoa._"

"I don't have feelings for her anymore." Squall felt like he needed to officially clarify that.

Selphie rolled her green eyes, and he suddenly knew that's not what she was referring to. "Rinoa _is _somehow involved in all this. What's your take on it?"

Squall frowned, "Obviously I don't like it. Rinoa's involvement makes this more dangerous than we thought. But I have to put our history in the past and think of her as just another suspect."

Selphie nodded, thoughtfully, "Good answer."

He expected more than that since this was Selphie he was talking to. "That's it? 'Good answer'?"

Selphie pushed herself off the ledge getting closer to him until her breath brushed against his ear, "I was expecting a 'Whatever'." The last word dropped into a deeper tone, mocking him.

"I don't sound like that."

"Well, it's a good thing you got over her then." She smiled, referring to his previous comment. Coyly, she made her way around him. He felt a sudden sharp pain hit his lower back and the snap of a wound up towel. Squall was about to reply with something witty, but Selphie's laughter echoed down the stairwell coupled with the stomping of her boots.

Squall chucked at her antics, turning back to the city lights and skyscrapers that surrounded him. Tomorrow night they were going to a party, and for the first time in just over two years, Squall would have to face Rinoa.

* * *

><p>The cell was humid to say the least. He had been laying on the moth eaten cot for hours now. Here there was no time. Nothing in this cell measured time. Was it day or was it night? He had no clue.<p>

Zone sat up and waited. His eyes trained on the door. He ignored the exhaustion in his body as it healed from weeks of torture and interrogation. Zone took a breath reflecting back on the past couple of months.

He did everything he could. He did everything he was told, so how did he end up like this? In this cell inside the Underground Association headquarters? Zone was once one of them; his father was once one of them, too. His whole life he fought for freedom. He fought for independence.

So how did he end up here awaiting his execution day?

He knew the answer. He stuck his nose where it didn't belong. He _knew _things others didn't and gave that information to the wrong people. He also betrayed the people who were trying to help him. For _what? Love?_

Yes, because he still loved Rinoa. She asked him to keep watch of the SeeDs and report anything of importance. And that's just what he did.

They were going to revolt and destroy the city. They both wouldn't let that happen.

And if Angelus or even Squall were stupid enough to kill him, he'd go down with sealed lips with some other classified information he picked up. Rinoa begged him to keep this between them, and he'd do anything she asked. It was too bad that what he knew was a game changer. If it happened now, or years from now, nobody would know until then.

Zone found a sick satisfaction in knowing just a little more than everyone else did. He stood up and shuffled over to the cracked mirror. His dark eyes rimmed black and his face dirty from weeks without a proper shower. He observed the cracks in the mirror and an idea struck him. More like a _solution_ to all of his problems.

He pulled his fist back and slammed it into the mirror. Red streamed down from his knuckles as the pain sharply set in. The mirror's pieces fell into the light brown sink, and when he looked up again, the mirror looked like a spider web. He chipped off a larger piece and inhaled deeply, his heart pounding against his chest. In that moment, Zone never felt so alive, so relieved about what he was about to do.

A smile crossed his face, and tore the glass across his flesh. The blood increased, and now it was everywhere. Zone stumbled to the floor, leaning his back against the stone wall next to the sink.

He closed his eyes thinking one final thought.

_I'm sorry, Rin._

* * *

><p>AN: Lots of stuff in the chapter! We finally see the Underground base, a new mission is introduced, Rinoa finally reappears with Seifer, Zone is completely screwed and knows something we don't, Selphie flirts with Squall, and Zone makes a drastic move. Hint: This chapter's pretty important for the rest of the story as things start to take place.

I love reviews guys, so keep on coming! I wanna hear your thoughts so far on this story!

Happy reading!


	16. Phase XV: The Presidential Ball

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XV<strong>

**The Presidential Ball**

**Deling City, Galbadia/Caraway Mansion**

**October 21****st, **** 2009. 1845 hrs**

She examined her figure in the mirror wearing her mother's red and black dress that cascaded over the curves of her hips down to the floor. The neckline hung low, and the beaded black designs added an elegant touch to the straps on her shoulders and collarbone. Standing at her full height, her long black hair fell off her shoulder in loose ringlets. A coy smile lingered, satisfied with her work.

Perfection. Just like her mother had been.

A figure stepped into the room behind her, regarding her silently.

His green eyes traced the contours and elegance of her dress, while she curiously eyed the black galbadian combat uniform he had on along with his Hyperion strapped to his side. Seifer's attire was nowhere near appropriate for an upscale event such as this.

"You're not going dressed like _that,_ are you?"

"I'm not going to the ball."

Rinoa strut over, her heels clicking against marble, "What do you mean!? I need you there, you're my knight!"

"I'm being sent off on a mission."

"Well, I'm gonna talk to my father and-" she rushed past him, but Seifer grabbed her arm before she could get very far.

"Rinoa!" He practically shouted, "It's Zone."

Rinoa braced herself, her breath catching in her lungs and forced herself to look her knight dead in the eye. "What happened?"

Seifer frowned, "He was captured. They got him."

Rinoa didn't say anything. She _couldn't. _It dawned on her that this wasn't going to work out the way they had planned.

* * *

><p><strong>Galbadia Hotel <strong>

**2030 hrs**

"Absolutely not."

"C'mon, Squall!" Riki cried.

"You're not taking Lionheart."

"Seriously? Pistols?" Angelus cocked a brow at her, "Those things suck!"

Riki furiously turned on him, "Are you complainin', solider!?"

Squall exchanged nervous glances with Angelus before grabbing a gun and handing her the Lionheart key-sheath. "Complaining?"

Angelus chuckled, snatching the other one, "Who's complaining?"

A wide grin suddenly stretched across her face before she gleefully skipped out of their hotel room.

Squall blinked, uncertain as of what to make of her quick change of emotion, "…she's insane."

Angelus patted his shoulder, "You haven't seen anything yet."

Squall shrugged his hand off and followed him out of the room.

Once outside, Squall found her talking to one of the valet boys dressed in a red and black tuxedo. A silver Porsche pulled up, parallel parking into the empty spot in front of them.

"You're chariot to the ball awaits!" Riki proudly announced in a grand gesture.

Squall skeptically narrowed his eyes, scanning the street for any other car. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Riki raised a brow, "Uh…_that _one?"

Squall looked to Angelus for some kind of help, "Do I even wanna know how you guys got a Porsche 911?"

Angelus snorted, "You complaining?"

"Complaining? Who's complaining?" Squall replied, not hesitating to stalk around the vehicle, trying hard to keep his lips from curling up and hyperventilating like a delirious fan boy. He shoved his emotions down, maintaining a very stoic composure.

"Leonhart, catch!" Riki tossed him the keys, which he effortlessly caught in one hand.

"Hey! Why do _you_ get to drive?" Angelus protested.

Squall rolled his eyes, "Just get in the car."

* * *

><p><strong>Underground Association HQ<strong>

**2059 hrs**

Cesar strode back and forth eyeing the series of large flat screens mounted to the wall in front of them. Each one served some kind of purpose. The main one displayed a map of the city, with red dots indicating where everyone was in real time. The other had names and waveforms that activated whenever someone spoke, categorized by the channel of their comm. link. Selene had her eyes intently on the digital clock waiting for the show to start.

When it struck 2100, it was go time.

Selene quickly opened all the channels, "Mission starts now. Report back."

"Heard you loud and clear!" Selphie chirped first.

"We're at our post, over!" Zell informed her. Selene tried to hide the grin forming on her lips.

"We've just arrived at our destination." Squall said next.

"What he said." Angelus cut in right after.

"At the mansion!" Riki cheered, "It's go time, boys n' girls!"

Cesar smirked, crossing his arms, "Let's do this."

"Good luck, everyone." She whispered.

* * *

><p><strong>Galbadia Presidential Palace <strong>

**2100 hrs**

The ballroom's interior was exquisitely styled in a classic Victorian fashion, intricate designs lining the walls, and carved out sculptures in the woodwork on some of the fixtures.

Art dating back centuries of formidable politicians of the past hung on every open space. The red carpet rolled out along white marble floors, and rooms with high ceilings with elaborate skylights allowed the stars to twinkle in the dark sky above them. A band played in the corner, strumming their expensive violins and Chellos with the occasional drum beat.

The atmosphere brought back memories of his SeeD inauguration ball, which ironically was also the first time had met Rinoa. Having not been standing here for more than twenty minutes, Squall wanted to leave just thinking about that night, about _her, _and the possibility of a 'coincidental' encounter. And yet, here he stood by a marble pillar holding a glass of galbadian red wine from one of the finest wineries the country had to offer. He sipped it, considering taking a page out of Zell's book, hoping a buzz would help him get through the night.

Angelus stood next to him, snagging finger foods off the occasional waitress that strut by with a platter in hand. After flirtatiously winking at a cute one with blonde hair and long lean legs, he shoved the last bit of crab cake into his mouth, and noticed the disgusted glare Squall was currently giving him.

"What?" He asked with his mouth still full, "The only thing I miss about growing up rich was the food, alright?"

"You were rich?" Squall raised a brow. That explained why Angelus didn't have a galbadian drawl like everyone else. The wealthy didn't seem too keen on the national accent, so they taught children how to speak without one, or so he'd been told.

"Hard to believe, right?"

Squall scoffed, "Couldn't tell by the way you stuff your face."

Angelus chuckled, "Asshole."

"Whatever." Squall retorted, examining the crowd of dancers already swaying to the music. He kept his eye out for a pompously dressed general, or rather, newly appointed president. He hadn't seen Rinoa anywhere yet either.

"Okay, this is how it's going down. You distract Rinoa, and I trail Caraway."

"What?" Squall had trouble gulping that last bit of wine down, "Why me?"

"'Cause Caraway would wonder why Squall Leonhart, of all people, is attending _his _presidential ball. Caraway and I go way back anyway. I can take care of him."

"And what about Rinoa?"

Angelus smirked, patting him on the back. "Just pretend you're still into her and get her to talk. Find out whatever you can." As if on cue, Caraway walked into the room and was flanked by a huge crowd of people greeting him with applause and cheers of congratulations. Angelus stepped around Squall, getting right to work, "That's my cue. Good luck!"

"Whatever." Squall muttered.

* * *

><p><strong>Caraway Mansion<strong>

**2105 hrs**

Zell and Selphie stood at their post in front of the mansion, approximately ten feet apart fully dressed in blue galbadian uniforms. The excitement eased the restlessness in the pit of Selphie's stomach, finally being out in the field again where she felt like she belonged.

The sound of crushed gravel disrupting the otherwise peaceful night caught their attention as a black Mercedes came driving down the cobblestone pavement towards the gate. It stopped in between them with the driver side facing Zell.

The driver rolled his window down, shoving paperwork his way with two IDs attached. _Raijin _and… Zell's eyes went wide, and his heart rate increased when he read the second name.

_Seifer Almasy. _

Zell was thankful for the helmet he had on because his initial shock would have blown their cover instantly.

"Where ya headed?" He tried miserably to mask his slight Balamb accent for a galbadian one.

"To the airport, y' know." Raijin replied. Zell observed the navy blue suit and silver Rolex he had on. Somehow Raijin, the staff-wielding dummy, had managed to score quite the salary, and Zell was sure it had to do with the guy in the back.

"Business or pleasure?" He didn't know what else to say to that.

"What's the fuckin' hold up, Raij?" Seifer snapped, his voice bringing back haunting memories that threatened to arise hard feelings in the tattooed blonde.

"Since when does a loser like you care 'bout what we do?" Raijin narrowed his eyes, "Listen, we got places to be, y' know."

Zell shoulders tensed, balling his fists at his sides. Selphie grew increasingly concerned, watching the exchange unfold. The mission was just getting underway, Squall and Angelus hadn't checked in with them yet, and Zell was about to ruin everything before it even got started.

_Don't freak out. Please, just don't freak out!_

The back passenger door flung open, and a blonde head rose up to stand wearing the same black combat outfit as the men in the Timber Forest. He towered over Zell, right in his face, and looking far from pleased to see him.

"Who the hell do you think you're dealin' with, chicken-shit?" When Zell bite back a reply, Seifer snapped, gruffly grabbing him by the collar of his blue uniform. "I'm talkin' to you!"

"S-sir," Zell made out, seething in anger, "Just precaution. As per our training, sir."

It was Selphie's turn to interject before the situation got out of hand. "We do this for your own protection- As per our orders from Caraway himself during his absence from the presidential residence. We must question anyone who comes and goes."

Seifer flashed his eyes at Raijin and reluctantly released Zell to straighten his uniform.

"Fuck this." Seifer muttered, "We have more important things to do."

The passenger door slammed shut, and the two drove through the gates and into the street.

Selphie pat her friend on the back, "You okay?"

Zell fell out of posture, slamming a fist into the ground. "I was _this _close to knockin' his lights out!"

* * *

><p><strong>Galbadia Presidential Palace <strong>

**2125 hrs**

Angelus situated himself against a pillar, waiting for his chance to approach the newly elected president. Caraway had been preoccupied, making his rounds to other political figures and colleagues.

Disgust and resentment overcame him. Galbadia had been a country fueled by greed and violence since the first Sorceress war against Esthar and Timber approximately twenty years prior. Ten years had passed since Vinzer Deling had been elected, making empty promises to the people, capitalizing on their financial shortcomings, and reducing the quality of living in most of the country. That idiot got what was deserved when the sorceress executed him in front of the eyes the galbadian people two years ago. Edea had taken a temporary hold of the government after that. The damages during the second Sorceress War had still gone unrepaired from her destructive reign as well.

During his travels in recent months, Angelus had a particular interest in Caraway's presidential promises, monitoring and collecting any information he could find on him. Caraway wasn't a saint, having intentions and agendas of his own. He knew better than anyone, first hand in fact, of how ruthless, how manipulative Caraway could be. So much so, that it drove his own daughter away from him to join one of the resistance factions in Timber.

When he claimed that Caraway and himself went 'way back', it derived from a long history that started almost a decade ago, and too long of a story to burden Squall with at the moment. In short, Angelus had his reasons for not liking, nor trusting, the man.

When the crowd around Caraway began to disperse, Angelus simply tapped him on the shoulder, noticing the look of recognition in the older man's dark eyes when they were finally face to face.

"Sir?" He said.

Caraway allowed a tight smirk, shaking his hand firmly, "Skyros Angelus. What a surprise."

* * *

><p><strong>Underground Association HQ<strong>

**2126 hrs**

"I don't get it, man." Echo complained, walking side by side with his partner Rodney into the cells below the Underground base. "Cesar said the trail wasn't until early next week. Why do we have'ta do this now?"

"'Cause he thinks Zone knows more than what he told Angelus and Leonhart." Rodney explained, swiping his card key through the reader and opening the steel door leading to the damp cells. "'Sides, might as well get what we can. These dudes from Timber think they're some kinda martyrs or some shit. Dyin' for their cause n' all."

They nodded at two guards, strolling past other cells where other traitors awaiting trial watched on. Some taunted, some stayed put in the corners of their confinements. These cells did crazy things to people; enough to drive them desperately mad and go savage.

The end of the walkway held the 'restricted cells', that is, only agents with approval and direct orders by a superior officer could get into. Two other guards holding rifles stood next to Zone's cell, standing pin straight on either side of the steel door. Rodney flashed them their approval forms, signed by Cesar himself, and they promptly stepped aside to allow the two agents entry. The door slide open, designed like an airlock to fully confine the prisoner.

Stepping inside, they found him slumped against the wall next to the sink…blood everywhere.

"Oh hell no!" Echo wailed, the smell of death prominent in the room.

"What the fuck!?" The male guard shouted from behind them, breaking out of his stoic composure completely. Rodney didn't blame him for his obliviousness, as even the guards didn't have privileges to open the restricted cells they were assigned to watch without permission to do so. Ironically enough, they were unknowingly guarding a dead man.

The other one turned on her radio, detailing the situation to one of their superiors.

Rodney finished examining the body, turning to his own radio strapped to his combat vest, "Lamont, we have a problem!"

* * *

><p><strong>Galbadia Presidential Palace <strong>

**2139 hrs**

"_Squall!" _

He had been hiding out on a balcony that overlooked the city sipping wine when he heard his name through his comm. link.

"What's wrong, Selphie?"

"_Seifer, that's what's wrong." _She spoke, urgently, _"He was leaving the mansion in a flashy Mercedes with Raijin! Zell almost knocked his lights out!"_

"Where were they going?"

"_To an airport!"_ Selphie said, _"He had on a black uniform just like those goons in the Timber Forest!"_

_Why go to an airport dressed…is he skipping town?_

_Unless…!_

"Is Galbadia planning another attack?"

"_I hope not, but I have a reeally bad feeling about this. " _

"Stay at your post. Report anything else you find." Squall ordered.

"_Kay."_ Selphie replied, _"And Squall? Be careful."_

"You, too." The channel cut out, and Squall let out a frustrated sigh.

_Seifer, what the hell are you up to now!?_

"Squall?" He heard his name again, but this time it came from behind him.

Rinoa stood just five feet away in the balcony doorway. She had on that same black and red-strapped dress her mother wore the night Julia met with Laguna. Rinoa had her normally black highlighted hair in loose ringlets down her back. She cleaned up well, and Squall swore he'd never seen her look so good. He desperately pushed away the memories and the old feelings that threatened to arise, bubbling in the pit of his stomach.

"Rinoa." He greeted her, but the silence quickly and awkwardly took over.

Her brown eyes cast up and down in his figure, taking in his attire. Predictably, he chose to wear almost all black, save for a white skinny tie that hung from his neck. His hair was slightly combed back, and the thick scruff he accumulated from the trip here had been groomed into a clean-shaven jaw line.

Rinoa laughed, suddenly, "What are you doing here?"

Squall quickly racked his brain for an excuse, "I wanted to see you."

It wasn't entirely a lie. He wanted to see her, but not for the reasons she assumed.

"…you did?"

Squall forced himself to swallow his pride. Not only was this difficult, but incredibly embarrassing. "How have you been?" He sounded awkward, awkward like a guy seeing his ex-girlfriend for the first time after a bad breakup, which was a convincing reason enough he supposed.

"Good."

Another pregnant silence.

_I need to distract her. Get whatever I can from her now before it's too late. _

Squall, who despite wanting to get as far away from Rinoa as possible, closed in on her. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away, falling for his sudden change of behavior. He noted the waltz playing rhythmically in the background and their convenient proximity to the dance floor.

"Dance with me." He didn't make it sound like a suggestion or request. It was an order.

She raised a coy brow at him, willingly sliding her hand into his. "Sure."

_That was easy. _

Squall led the way, keeping tabs on Angelus' current position. The resistance leader was engaging in a conversation with Caraway; everything was going as planned.

Recognizing the tune as "Waltz for the Moon", a song that was favorable amongst the elitists of Galbadia, and ironically the song they danced to the night they met. Despite his hatred for dancing, Squall knew every step by heart, drilled into him from the endless classes he took as a cadet. Unlike before, where he let her lead as he pretended to not know how to dance, Squall held her firmly, one hand on the small of her back, the other intertwined between her soft fingers. Their bodies started to sway, matching every step, every movement.

And soon, their steps were wider, their bodies more engaged while moving around each other. Whenever they twirled, his grip held firm, whenever they weren't facing one another, he kept his eyes on her intently to ensure that she wouldn't disappear or run off. A smirk lingered on her lips, and she seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself.

As the song concluded, their bodies pressed together. The tempo slowed to a steady plucking full of strings, horns, and a piano ballad. Rinoa's body grew tense in his arms, like she was preparing herself to leave, just like she did the first time.

Squall wasn't going to let her go so easily.

"Well," she smiled, patting his shoulder. "That was fun. We should do this again sometime. I have other men waiting to dance with me."

As much as that was purposely intended to pluck a jealous cord, Squall's expression hid any amusement or anger whatsoever. "Why not stay for another song?"

"Squall," Rinoa spoke affectionately, "As much as this reunion has stirred up feelings that I wish I didn't have, I don't think Seifer would approve."

"Where is he?" He asked with piqued interest. His intention was to test the waters with her, to see if she'd admit that he was out of town. "I don't see him."

"He'll be here." She assured Squall. He wasn't so sure. Rinoa couldn't lie out of a paper bag.

Unlike other targets, Squall had an advantage, knowing all of her physical weaknesses- what set her off, what turned her on. He lowered his lips to her ear until they almost brushed against her earlobe. He knew his attempts were working when she refrained from pulling away. "Why are you at a ball in honor of your father? I thought you hated him."

She scoffed, "Sometimes people make amends. Unlike someone and his father."

Her advantage was the knowledge of his _own _weaknesses_, _his strained relationship with his biological father being one. Dismissing the comment, Squall pressed on, pulling her firmly towards him,"Where were you when Timber was attacked?"

Rinoa's brown eyes went wide, and her heart beat quickly in her chest, clearly caught off guard by this question. Her thoughts went straight to Zone. "I was here with my father."

Another lie. "When was the last time you were in Timber, Rinoa?"

Rinoa narrowed her eyes, "Where's Zone?"

His turn to lie, "I don't know."

"You know where he is."

"I don't keep tabs on your stupid friends." He replied. Rinoa swiftly broke from his grasp, insulted by Squall's discourteous remark.

"Rinoa." She turned to find Watts dressed in a tuxedo standing there waiting for his turn to dance.

"Watts, I'm a little busy." She snapped, "Cant this wait? I'm talking to-" She turned to find herself alone on the dance floor, as if Squall had vanished in thin air. With concern, her eyes darted around the room, only spotting other guests socializing and going about their evening.

"Rinoa," Watts exclaimed, "This is important!"

"What is it?"

"It's Zone." His tone went low. "He's dead. It was SeeD. They killed him!"

* * *

><p>"How many years has it been?" Caraway asked Angelus, "Going on a decade now, is it?"<p>

He chuckled, "Yeah. Time flies, huh?"

"You were only ten when I last saw you. At your father's funeral, I believe. My, was he a good man. How have you been since? What do you do now?"

_A man you sent hit men to kill, you asshole. _

Angelus kept his composure civil, "I study at Deling University. Communications and such."

"Interesting. I'm glad you're putting yourself to good use. Not like other youth these days. Wasting their time with protests and scheming." Caraway replied.

"Pardon me, sir?"

"I am not deaf or dim witted." He pointedly stared at him, "I hear of these resistance groups growing larger, stronger even. Makes running a country more difficult."

"I can imagine, sir." Angelus said evenly.

A high-ranking officer came up to Caraway dressed in a military pea coat to interrupt their brief exchange. "Sir, we must discuss the preparations. Some of our men are waiting to speak with you."

"I must take my leave to attend to some important matters. You stay out of trouble now, son. It was good to see you." He quickly excused himself from their conversation, striding into another direction, followed by the officer.

Angelus felt his nerves rattle in his chest, taking steady breaths. It donned on him that Caraway might have seen through his bullshit alibi and knew what exactly he did for a living. His eyes then caught sight of a familiar female figure in the middle of the dance floor speaking with Watts. _Rinoa._

_This is_ not_ good. _

Before more trouble could arise, he bolted towards the exit before Rinoa could see him, tuning into Squall's channel.

"Leonhart, where the hell are you?"

* * *

><p><strong>Caraway Mansion<strong>

**2157 hrs**

Riki entered his main study from the eastern wall through a fourth story window. She searched the room, beaming a flashlight around in the darkness. It hit the walls, scanning the old pictures of past political figures, military generals and interesting antiques. One of the large paintings had a woman dressed in the most extravagant red gown, her face remarkably resembling Rinoa's.

A dining room set with red and gold upholstered chairs were smack dab in the middle of the room, and just behind it sat President Caraway's desk.

She carefully inspected the mundane everyday objects that sat atop its surface, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Sighing, Riki concluded that this was a pointless attempt on getting information, and she wasn't going to find anything of importance to help their cause here. Just as she was about to give up, she caught sight of a locked desk drawer.

A Cheshire grin widened across her face and sunk her knees to the floor in front of it. Taking out an odd looking utility tool from her backpack, Riki slid a steel pick into the lock and jiggled it around until she heard it disengage. Excitedly, she yanked the wooden drawer open finding a few pens, a couple of military badges, and a stack of papers.

Curiously, Riki grabbed the stack and sat on her butt with her back pressing against the desk. Her flashlight cast directly on the opened manila folder in her lap, revealing large bodies of script. It looked to be written in another language, half typed and half in a messy cursive scrawl. She tried to comprehend the words, but couldn't translate any of it. It wasn't in old Galbadian or Shumi.

As peculiar as this was, she wasn't going to put it back. Riki had come all this way and gone through all the trouble, so she might as well stop asking questions and take the damn papers back to base.

_Finder's keepers, right?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Finally! I don't know how many times I reworked this chapter. So, comments!

I tried to keep the interactions between Squall and Angelus light with a hint of humour. Squall trying to hide his excitement about driving a Porsche was kind of fun to write. We know that he has in interest in combat and...well, combat, so I wanted to humanize him a little more, make him more relatable to a 19 year old guy.

Something big happens here as well for any Rinoa fans! She finally has a scene with Squall! There maybe more, so stay tuned!

As for Angelus, we learn a bit of a backstory about his relations to Caraway. As for Angelus' life, I (eventually) want to write a shorter story detailing his journey before this story and what brought him to where he is now, while still having some cannon characters in it of course.

Anyways, what do you think? How do you like this story thus far? Would you want a prequel detailing my OC's story?

I wanna hear more from you, so please read and review!


	17. Phase XVI: All Fall Down

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XVI<strong>

**All Fall Down**

**Deling City, Galbadia/Presidential Palace. **

**October 21st, 2009. 2200 hrs**

"There you are!"

Squall raised his brows, not used to seeing the usually relaxed Naperic leader so tense. Angelus hastily shoved Squall into the men's restroom; his eyes darted around to make sure nobody else could hear.

"What the hell happened to you?" Squall asked him in a hushed tone.

"Caraway." Angelus replied, "He knows, man. He fucking knows!"

He scowled, "Start making sense, Angelus!"

"He knows I'm part of the resistance. This is _not _good." The galbadian rubbed his face, nervously pacing up and down the marble tiled white floor. "Rinoa must have said something."

"Or Seifer." Squall said, "Selphie and Zell ran into him. He was on his way out of the country wearing the same combat uniform those soldiers wore near Jenkins' shack."

Angelus leaned against the bathroom counter, locking eyes with his own reflection, "You talk to Rinoa?"

"Didn't get much out of her besides her whereabouts during the Timber attack." Squall shrugged, "She claimed she was here with her father. Rinoa also asked about Zone as if I knew where he was."

"What did you say? You didn't _tell _her anything, did you!?"

Squall retorted, "Obviously not!"

He sighed, trying to ease the tension, "Okay. We need to get outta here and go back to base. C'mon."

"Father!" Rinoa's voice boomed down the hallway from the other side of the bathroom door. Squall stopped just short of grabbing its golden knob, exchanging a wide-eyed look with Angelus. "Why was Seifer sent away?"

"Rinoa, this isn't the time to-" Caraway protested.

"You always say that!" She continued to shout.

"I'll meet with you up front." He murmured to his entourage of military personnel. "Rinoa, please behave yourself."

"What is he doing for you?"

"Let's discuss this in the car. We're going home." He spoke firmly, he tried to guide her away, but Rinoa refused to let him touch her.

"Going home!?" Angelus backed up, alarmed. "Riki's still in the mansion!"

* * *

><p><strong>Caraway Mansion<strong>

**2206 hrs**

_Click. _

Riki shot up from behind the desk to the sound of the door threatening to dislodge from its lock and quickly shoved her prize into her pack. Heart rate increasing and sweat collecting at the base of her neck, she desperately searched the room for a way out. Her eyes fell upon on a statue in the corner, similar to the painting of that lady holding a wine glass on the wall next to it. Riki then did a double take, noticing that both women held wine glasses and looked identical.

_Hold on…_

"That's it!"

When her hand snatched the glass, the statue revolved around to reveal a dark passageway, just like in the movies. The door flung open at that very moment, and a Galbadian soldier stumbled into the room with his rifle drawn.

"Hey you!" He shouted at her, aiming his gun.

Grinning, Riki flipped him off before jumping into the tunnel. "See ya buddy!"

She could hear shouting and gunfire going off in the room above. Her black combat boots hit the concrete floor of the water canals below. They held secret passageways, corridors, and other mysteries that led to different parts of the city. Sweat adhered her black bangs to her forehead, despite the coolness radiating from the murky water next to her.

Shots fired from behind, getting lost in the water or sinking into the concrete walls around her. Taking a sharp left and then three rights, the sound of gunfire soon began to fade, indicating that she was on her way to safety.

Around another corner, Riki's boots skidded to a full stop when she came face to face with two other blue clad galbadian soldiers with guns trained on her vitals. Riki quickly readied her weapon, clicking a magazine into place.

These guys weren't going to take her prize without a fight.

* * *

><p><strong>Garnard Street<strong>

**2227 hrs**

"Can this thing go any faster!?" Angelus yelled at Squall who gripped onto the steering wheel tightly, taking a left down Garnard Street towards the mansion.

"If I go any faster, we'll get pulled over! We get pulled over, we can't get to Riki and the others in time!"

"_Angelus," _Selene spoke with urgency, "_It's Zone!"_

Angelus scoffed bitterly, shaking his head, "That idiot is the last thing I need to worry about right now!"

"_No, he's-"_

"Can this honestly wait!?"

"Angelus, shut up!" Squall snapped, "What's wrong, Selene?"

"_Zone killed himself." _

The boys went silent.

* * *

><p><strong>Caraway Mansion <strong>

**2230 hrs**

Rinoa and her father had just arrived home when they witnessed the unbelievable scene in his study. Someone had made it past security and broken in, stealing files from his desk, and left the passage way that lead to the canals wide open. Rinoa's heart sank to the sight of her mother's painting on the wall shot right in the chest.

"Block off every exit in the city! Shut the it down if you have to!" Caraway demanded of his men, and they saluted their understanding marching off and out the door.

"Father." Rinoa addressed him firmly. "What did they take?"

Her father disregarded the question, "You should go to sleep. Let my men and I will deal with this."

"No." She protested.

"This is no place for a girl. You will go to bed-"

Rinoa hated the way he talked to her. Like she was still some kind of incompetent child. Seifer and herself started this new life hoping to be free. Caraway, relieved to have his daughter back, promised to treat her like an adult and value her ideals in hopes to mend the strained relationship they had since her mother was killed in that accident years ago.

She was a fool. It was all a lie.

"You were never going to free Timber." She cut him off.

"Rinoa, please." He scoffed.

"You weren't, were you!?" She yelled. Rinoa almost didn't notice the rise in temperature grow into an unbearable heat or the objects in the room started to rattle uncontrollably.

For the first time in her life, she saw fear in an otherwise fearless man. He took a step back, uncertain as to what was happening to his daughter.

Caraway was aware that she was a sorceress. That was why he agreed to keep Almasy around. Odine had versed him well on the connection between a sorceresses her knight. Now he was regretting sending Almasy off to tend to affairs abroad.

Rinoa stepped closer to her father. "When I came here, you _promised _me that Timber would be independent! You promised to cut political ties with Timber to set them free under your new _administration!" _

"Rinoa, listen to me-" He was backed up against the desk, watching her loose ringlets start to levitate above her shoulders.

"You made me believe that sending _my best friend _behind enemy lines would sever Galbadian-Timber ties. You made him work with _SeeD!" _She cried, "And you know what happened!? They were planning to revolt anyway…against you and your _administration." _

"Please, Rinoa-"

She paced away from him and continued, "…But no, SeeD didn't believe in your promises. And they were too smart, they knew…They _knew! _Then… and then they took him."

"R-Rinoa," He tried desperately, reaching out to her, "Honey…"

She turned on her father again, slapping his hand away, burning his forearm with her touch. She took pleasure in her fathers pained frown, trying to still act all tough while she held all the power. "And then they killed him."

"…And you send my knight away to do your dirty work." She whispered, brown eyes looking deep into cold steel.

A prolonged, suspenseful silence that seemed to last a lifetime. The heat grew more powerful until her emotion ran in tandem with her magic until it burst out, "We're _not _your puppets anymore!"

Rinoa's anger reached its peak; a burning fire grew in her chest and expanded outwards. The feeling of her powers caressing her senses and traveled down her limbs strangely soothed her.

Her vision was becoming spotted and unclear like her soul was being pulled out of her body. The fire was becoming too much, and finally she let out a breath allowing it to escape. Her world went black for a few moments.

When she came to, Rinoa opened her eyes to find herself standing upright. She looked towards her father again, but he wasn't pinned up against the desk anymore. His body was on the floor bleeding out now. The room was charred and riddled with debris. She wasn't sure what kind of spell that was or what it actually did, but whatever caused this left her alone with her own devastation.

When someone is beside their dead parent, they would plead and weep hysterically, begging them to open their eyes. They transform into a younger version of themselves, becoming a child, regardless of the hardships that grew them to adulthood. Rinoa didn't. She didn't need to prove to this man in life or in death that she was that little perfect girl he tried to model her into being.

Rinoa was _powerful_. She was a _sorceress_.

And now she was free.

* * *

><p><strong>Underground Canals<strong>

**2230 hrs**

"Hold up!" One of the galbadians said, raising his arms. "We ain't here to fight ya."

"Yeah, man." The other said, "Cesar sent us."

Riki raised a brow, "Wait a sec…Rodney? _Echo?" _

They nodded, "We're here to get ya out."

The stampede of boots growing louder from behind Riki alerted the three of them, turning their guns on the two Galbadian soldiers who came to meet them. Rodney and Echo aimed one at each of them, stepping forward to be in line with Riki. She stood in her own starting combat position ready to attack.

"It's me!" Zell's muffled voice announced from behind his helmet, raising his arms in surrender.

Selphie, the shorter soldier, waved her hand in the air while the other held her gun. "We took care of the guys that barged into the study, but Caraway and Rinoa must've made it to the mansion by now!"

"Then let's go!" Riki shouted, she jabbed a thumb in the direction of Rodney and Echo, "Meet our escape team!"

"Wait- How about Squall and the others?" Selphie asked, concern very evident in her voice. "We can't leave without them!"

"We wont." Echo smirked, "Cesar's on it."

"_You guys are to divert your path." _Selene ordered. "_We need to abort this mission now!" _

"The others are still at the mansion!" Squall protested.

"_Squall, listen to me." _Selene told him carefully, "_The mansion's-"_

"On _fire!?" _Angelus yelled. The possibility of Riki being trapped in there terrified him to the point of overwhelming nausea. From the front gate, they could tell Selphie and Zell had long abandoned their post. Fire trucks came blaring down the street to tend to the roaring flames and black smoke drifting to the sky.

_Zell, Selphie! _Squall mentally panicked, quickly taking his hand away from the stick shift and pressed the button of his comm. link to her channel. "Selphie, where the hell are you!?"

Static greeted him, which didn't stop the thundering of his heart and his racing thoughts. As Angelus desperately tried Riki's channel again, Squall tried for Zell's. They weren't answering, either.

"_Squall, Angelus," _Cesar's voice came onto their channels, "_Listen ta me carefully. Drive towards the Gateway. A few blocks down, ditch the car. There ya'll find a door inside the gate ta the right. There's a ladder that leads ta the sewers. I'll be there." _

Squall glared at Angelus unsure of what to do at this point; Angelus gave him the same expression back. Slowly, he finally replied, "Roger that."

"What the fuck!?" Squall snapped, slapping the steering wheel.

Angelus just smirked. Squall was so aggravated he was just about to punch him in the face; he didn't find this amusing at all. "Don't worry, Leonhart. Cesar's got a plan."

Once they ditched the car, they could spot the prominence of the iconic golden Gateway up ahead. As he ran, Squall noted the ratio between galbadian soldiers and civilians was drastically uneven. Galbadian blue marched everywhere like these guys were going to war.

"Hold on." Squall stopped, abruptly, "What's with all these soldiers?"

"No time for that."

"No seriously." Squall grabbed Angelus by his black dress shirt, "What happened at the mansion? What did Riki do?"

"We'll figure that out later." Angelus insisted, "We blend in with civilians right now, and have to get to our next checkpoint undetected."

As per Cesar's instructions, they found the door to the right. Inside the room, there was a ladder that descended down into the canals. The two rushed down its rusty rungs, coming face to face with the galbadian resistance general himself.

"That was quick." Cesar crossed his arms, and Selene offered a relieved smile.

"What's the plan?" Squall asked him immediately.

"No," Angelus interrupted him, "What the fuck happened back there?"

"Is Zone actually dead?" Squall cut in, heatedly.

"One fuckin' thing at a time, boys! Zone was found a few hours ago, used broken pieces of glass from a mirror ta slit his writs. That shit head didn't even last a day. Can't explain right now how the fire started, but we do know everyone's safe."

Squall and Angelus allowed the pent up air and anxiety to rush out of them. The brunette's thoughts immediately went to Selphie and Zell, inwardly relieved that they were okay.

"Hey guys!" Riki's voice called out to them from down the corridor. Her jogging figure was followed by four galbadian soldiers, but didn't seem threatened by them in the least.

Angelus broke out into a huge grin, scooping Riki's small body up into a bear hug. "You scared the shit outta me, kid!"

"I'm not a kid!" She laughed, hugging him tightly.

"Squall!" Zell called his name, gruffly grabbing him by the shoulder and into a brotherly embrace. Squall patted him on the back, happy to see his best friend alive and well.

Selphie came up from behind Zell. Squall didn't hesitate in that moment to grab her by the forearm and invite her into the hug, too.

Cesar cleared his throat, "Ya'll are gonna leave this city, and not come back for a while until all this shit has blown over, ya got that?"

"Where we gonna go?" Riki asked, placing a hand to her hip. "Any ideas?"

"I gotta place." Squall spoke up, and everyone looked to him expectantly.

"And where's that?" Cesar asked him, raising a brow.

It would take a few days by car, but it would have to do for now. Squall's eyes shifted to everyone in the group, "Winhill. It's farther south and rural. Nobody will look there."

"Fine, whatever." Angelus agreed, waving his arm, "Let's go to Winhill."

"Any plans how to get outta the city?" Selphie asked.

Cesar looked towards Rodney and Echo.

"Follow us."

The tunnels lead to another door made of steel that required a palm print scan to bypass. As they all stepped through it, spotlights lining the edges of the floor and ceiling turned on, opening up to a giant room, and leaving everyone in awe.

An underground armoury.

Black military convoys were parked along the walls. There were sections of weapons hung up and on elaborate displays categorized by combat class. It made Squall wonder why the Underground Association needed all this artillery to begin with. Selphie eyed the rifles in particular, taking a moment to examine the selection. She felt a larger hand slide into hers, pulling her away from it.

"Another time, perhaps." Squall gave her a small knowing smile, despite everything that was going on.

At the very end of the room, there were a few other cars parked. They couldn't travel by Humvee, as that would attract too much attention, so they opted for another SUV. Cesar stopped his gait to regard the group. "The way outta here is through the train tunnels. Ya can get there through this hatch behind me. Take one of these SUV's to Winhill with ya. When ya get there, for fuck sakes blend in as much as ya can."

"So, were gonna be sittin' ducks?" Zell asked.

From the no nonsense glare in Cesar's eyes, Zell took the hint and shut up, "The whole city is on lockdown lookin' for yer asses. I'll send ya a message when shit simmers for ya'll to come back. Just don't do anything stupid while yer down there."

"Thanks, Cesar." Angelus smiled genuinely, and the man grunted in return.

"Ya got no idea how much work I'm gonna have ta do because of ya'll." Cesar said, "But I got yer backs."

"So, this is goodbye?" Selene asked.

"Yeah, now get outta here."

"Thanks, man." Zell nodded, jumping into the black SUV first, and the rest quickly followed behind.

Cesar moved towards the control panel by the large steel hatch. With Angelus at the wheel, they all watched the large doors open and reveal another dark tunnel. The car rumbled to life and disappeared into the darkness.

Squall took the back seat to lean his head against the window when he felt a body press against his own. Selphie snuggled close, looking just as exhausted. Her hair was a sticky mess from the helmet she had to wear and skin still dewy with sweat. Squall didn't care though, pulling her close to him into a one-arm embrace.

Just before Selphie could drift to sleep, she felt his breath brush against her hair, "I'm glad you're okay." Her eyes shut, sighing contently before falling asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>Caraway Penthouse Suite<strong>

**October 22****nd****, 2009. 0005 hrs**

She stood in front of a large window overlooking Deling City. Rinoa had changed into a silk gown for the night. She wrapped herself in a throw blanket to shield her body from the coolness of the room. She was still coming down from the spell that set her father's entire mansion on fire.

In her reflection, she was reminded that she wasn't alone. Standing behind her, three black clad galbadian soldiers were all at attention for her next order. Rinoa's eyes examined the image in her hand that Watts had given to her at the ball.

In it two men were dragging the body of her friend out of the trunk of a black car dated from the previous night. The image was slightly pixilated, but she knew their identities well. Two men she had never thought would work together, let alone meet.

It wasn't so much the black haired one that she was interested in. No. It was the man who was once responsible for her captivity in Garden. The one she once loved dearly, but chose his duty before herself; the ex-commander of the men and women who wanted her dead…the ones who _killed _Zone.

SeeD were going to pay for ruining everything and taking Zone away. Rinoa vowed that they would all be dead by the end of this war.

"My lady." A soldier called her. Rinoa looked up, stone-faced expression looking back at her from the window's glass. When she assumed political power earlier that evening, Rinoa's first order was to be addressed this way.

"SeeD." She spoke, "I want them hunted down. Every last one of them."

Watts, who felt the same way Rinoa did about losing their friend, came forward, "I heard Esthar is housing the largest population of SeeDs in the world behind their hex-shield."

Rinoa smirked, knowing the very man that held presidential power in that country. She wasn't like her father. He would have set up a meeting with Loire to discuss terms and possible sanctions regarding his protection of his son's men. Rinoa wasn't her father though. She'd rather have instantaneous results.

This war had started when Timber had succumbed to Galbadia's iron fist when Intel had leaked about a potential revolt. During this time, Dollet had unknowingly gotten involved by refusing to disable their communication towers in the area and tried to interfere. This had jeopardized their mission to keep this incident controlled and contained, to prevent this from getting out to the public. They sought to reduce the amount of worry and chaos between the civilians of the country and internationally, so they controlled the media and various means of travel to prevent these issues from coming to light.

Just moments after claiming political power, she was informed of her father's true intentions. About this _plan_ he had all along.

This wasn't about politics anymore.

So, her next order of business wasn't to set that meeting up with Loire. She didn't even need to talk to him, because frankly, she didn't give a damn what the repercussions were going to be politically.

Because this war just got personal.

"Then that will be our next target."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Two chapters in a week!? That's unheard of! Haha. I'm seriously on a roll now!

**Recap!** So, there we have it. Rinoa has gone off the deep end. This fic isn't a "I hate Rinoa, let's make her evil!" kinda thing. In fact, I really like her character. What got me to write this story was that the original game left me with so many questions. Rinoa is encased in the sorceress memorial under the presumption that she would turn into another Adel, Ultimecia, or Edea. Squall believes that wont happen to her and breaks her out.

SeeDs are trained kill sorceresses, so how does she cope living with the people who are designed to kill those like her?

In this story she's nineteen, an age where she is still finding herself and hasn't grown out of her rebellious nature despite her powers. Rinoa at this point still doesn't quite understand them herself, and all she knows is that they can help her find the liberation she's desperately seeking.

My LIBERATION fic is actually the journey that brings her to this very moment in the last scene. I am a few chapters into that one, and I may possibly finish that up just before I start posting "Twelve Months in Counting".

Anyway! Enough talk! As I always say, read and review folks. Tell me what you think!

Shout outs to Phoenixx Rising for the supportive and amazing reviews the past few chapters! I greatly appreciate you're kindness!

Enjoy and happy reading!


	18. Phase XVII: Lights in the Sky

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XVII<strong>

**Lights in the Sky**

**Estharian Presidential Palace**

**November 1st****, 2009. 0925 hrs**

Laguna Loire yawned for the millionth time that morning- even after his third cup of coffee. He had a late night watching fishing shows on some nature channel. It brought him back to a time as a child catching bass with his father at Obel Lake. Nostalgia for the outdoors and the smell of fresh water reinforced the feeling of captivity behind the walls of the hex-shield.

Laguna missed his freedom and the simple joys of life, the luxuries and technological innovation of Esthar had lost its glamour and inspiration a long time ago. Green emeralds were fixated on the blue glass city, the hex-shield just outlined with dashes of light in a honeycomb pattern against the sun that shown through it. The skyscrapers and condos stretched out as far as he could see, and in a weird way, it all belonged to him.

Raine used to fear that he was a big city guy thriving for excitement. Maybe at twenty-seven that assumption would have been correct. He'd joined the military several years before seeking adventure and heroism, but who could blame him? He was young and incredibly stupid then. Now the big city drained him with all its lights and bustle, and he would give anything to just spend some time in the quiet pastoral town of Winhill where they first had met.

"There you are!" Kiros shouted, exasperated by Laguna's lateness. "The meetin's gonna start without you man!"

"It can't." He grumbled, walking right past him and into the boardroom, "I'm the president."

"…" Ward tried to say, but Kiros said it for him, "Ward says 'He's wonderin' how you managed to stay in office this long."

_Been askin' myself that every damn day since I got here. _Laguna waved a dismissive hand, seating himself at the head of the black glass table. "Nobodies here yet. Why you so antsy?"

"Look," Kiros stated firmly, "We got all the financial councilors comin' in. They wanna talk about-"

"Those stupid condos?"

He sighed, "No, trades with other countries. Apparently, Galbadia hasn't been keepin' up with their part of the deal."

Laguna rolled his eyes, "Saw that comin'. Honestly, is there anythin' in these meetin's that have to do with stuff that matter?"

Kiros blinked, "Laguna, you runnin' a country matters."

"So what if…" he trailed off not knowing how to continue.

"'What if' what?"

Laguna sighed, "Never mind."

Ward gave him a knowing look, and Kiros almost didn't catch on quick enough. "You think it's about that?" The large man nodded, and Kiros crossed his arms.

For a 47-year-old man, Laguna normally maintained rather youthful features, but over the past year, age began to catch up with him, eyes and mouth defined by crow's-feet and lines. Laguna's usual passion was replaced with agitation and melancholy from burning himself out due to the constant work that found its way to his desk.

Normally, his worked at a more productive pace, being done everything in just a few hours. Lately, he had a hard time concentrating on any given report. Getting through the day was a challenge in itself.

Ellone had been visiting him more frequently; well aware of how his work was taking its toll on his body and mental health. Despite Laguna's adamant reassurances, she knew better than anyone else that it wasn't just about his work.

He was worried about his son.

Ever since Commander Trepe had sent her men out to find Squall, Laguna had been on the edge of his seat. His anxiety had grown worse, affecting his sleep patterns, which were strangely remedied by watching all those goddamn fishing shows and a large glass of Trabian whisky for him to get at least a couple of hours in.

"Laguna," Kiros attempted to get him out of his daze, "You there?"

"What did you say?"

"Quistis has this under control. She'll find him." Kiros assured.

Running a hand through his dark graying hair, Laguna sighed. "Doesn't make a difference if he doesn't show. The kid still hates me."

"He doesn't hate you." He spoke for Ward.

"You don't even know the half of it."

Just as Laguna felt the need to elaborate, the financial councilors strolled in wearing formal Estharian robs and took their seats. Laguna's mood switched instantly as he stood up to regard everyone in the room. With a large grin and a desperate attempt to leave his personal issues at the door, he spoke, "Good mornin'! Let's get this meetin' goin', shall we?"

* * *

><p><strong>Baton RestaurantDowntown Esthar**

**1132 hrs**

"Then I told the guy, if you really think I'm gonna go ahead and let you rummage through my medical kit after a Grat burst all over you, then you better step away from my shit."

Ellone laughed before taking a sip of some red wine from a large glass. Her brown eyes gave her date another once over, taking in his wavy dark brown hair and warm hazel eyes. Rayan's frame resembled that of a soldier rather than a civilian, and he had quite the sense of humor.

Exchanging stories over an early lunch at a lavish restaurant in the heart of the city, they sat next to large windows that allow natural light to shine through, which also happen to overlook the shopping district. Even for a weekday, the streets below were crowded with people going about their lunch break or searching for the latest trends in Estharian fashion. The hex-shield provided a regulated temperature, making for a wonderful day rather than a chilly November afternoon.

"So, you're a doctor?" Ellone asked, toying with the chicken pasta on her plate with the prongs of her fork.

Rayen nodded, thoughtfully. "Yeah, I was a SeeD. Chose to advance my career in medical studies after the organization disbanded."

Ellone raised her brows, "Wow, really? I've been to Garden!"

"Oh yeah? Which one?"

"Balamb. My brother lived there. His friends did, too. I grew up with some of them as a child." She elaborated, but chose not to divulge into all the details.

Ellone could almost hear Squall scolding her about revealing too much about herself. Despite being four years her junior, her little brother proved to be more protective than Uncle Laguna. Ellone's ability to send people into the past had cost her most of her adolescence, stowing away on ships tucked into the coast of Centra. Since she had moved to Esthar after the war, her life had never felt so _normal _as she proactively avoided using her powers.

"I was there for a few years." Rayen said, "But I grew up in Trabia."

"Were you there when…"

Rayen tried to chuckle his way through the obvious pain that hide itself in his lighthearted expression, "No, I had moved to Balamb a few years before that, but I did have friends in Trabia that didn't make it though."

"I'm sorry to hear that." She frowned.

He waved it off, "It's cool. I ended up here with a bunch of friends I made in SeeD, so it isn't all bad."

"That's good."

"Elle," Rayen looked as if he was about to spin the conversation in a new direction, his smile warming her heart, "I have fun with you, and I'd like to see you again."

_Wait until Squall hears about this! _

Excitement bubbled in her stomach upon imagining Squall's reaction when he found out about her new love interest. Unlike his protective nature, Uncle Laguna was the complete opposite and fully supported her dating. So much so that he insisted she take his credit card with her.

As she imagined the possibility of introducing Rayen to Squall, Ellone completely missed the sudden confusion in Rayen's eyes when he shifted his gaze just outside the window next to her. The glass shattered and cool air rushed into the room, her skin stinging from the shards digging into her arms. Ellone wasn't sure if her ears were ringing because of the high pitched screams coming from other patrons or from the sound of something exploding nearby that shook the ground under her.

Something was terribly wrong.

She felt Rayan's chest hit her in the shoulder, a strong arm pushing her down under the table. Her brown eyes searched around, trying to piece together what was happening.

Rayen was saying something, so she concentrated on his lips to translate his words. He was asking her if she was okay. She nodded, mustering the courage to look out from under the wooden table. Outside was a mess. She could see smoke and people running through it. It started to come in through the broken window smelling of chemicals and dust. When she found a break in the grey clouds, her world froze over.

From anywhere in the city, you could see the glass and steel structure of the Presidential Palace, which stood prominently right in the middle of Esthar. The grey sky above was a stark contrast to what it was moments before, indicating that the hex-shield had gone down somehow.

And then she saw them.

Projectiles aimed right for what remained of the palace. Another explosion went off, completely distorting it from view with more grey-black smoke. Ellone's rapid heartbeat didn't relent, her temples pounding as she came to a frightening realization.

Uncle Laguna had a meeting on the 18th floor that morning.

"No…" She whispered, tears threatened her eyes.

Rayan's hands found her underarms, dragging her to her feet, and yelling in her face now. "Ellone! We need to go!"

Trying to gather her senses, she gulped down hard and just nodded her reply. As much as she wanted to see Laguna, Rayen had other plans, and she no choice but to abide. Wherever he was going, she would likely follow suit.

Clasping his hand as hard as she could and fighting through the frantic crowds, they ran in the opposite direction of the burning palace. Ellone's mind instantly went out to the one man she needed the most at a time like this.

_Squall, where are you!?_

* * *

><p>The darkness began to subside, but was welcomed with immense pain in her legs and torso. When her eyes dared to open, Quistis found herself in more darkness and under a slab of concrete. Stabilizing her breathing, the air was thick with dust, and through gritted teeth she pulled herself out from under the slab. Upon further examination, the bones in her legs were still in tact, give or take a couple of cuts and bruises.<p>

Quistis' senses were still shaken by the time she forced herself to sit. Her eyes scanned what used to be her office on the 3rd floor of the Arms Building just a few blocks down from the Presidential Palace. Her paperwork and belongings were either crushed or scattered all over the room, and the back wall had blown through and crumbled.

_What the hell happened here? …Were we attacked? _

Whatever caused this destruction had to be something incredibly lethal.

"…Is…ne…one...THERE!?"

Her head perked up. Was she hearing things now? Quistis stopped breathing for a moment, not a muscle moved an inch.

"…Hello!"

"I'm in here!" She yelled, surprised that her voice still worked after all that.

"Can you hear me!?" A woman replied.

Slowly, Quistis stumbled to her feet, dragging the soles of her boots against the floor. Her balled fists pounded against the steel in hopes to grab her savior's attention. Without power, the automatic door was sealed firmly shut.

"I'm in here!"

"We have a survivor!" A man's voice shouted to someone else, clearer this time indicating that he was close by. "Listen, stay away from the door. We're gonna pry it open."

Quistis fell back several steps on wobbly legs while the scraping and screeching of the door being pulled away threatened her ears. When it twisted off its hinges, cool air rushed into the stuffy office, and she was face to face with several former SeeDs.

Among them was Xu, who instantly took her into a tight embrace. "What happened?" Quistis asked through a shaky breath.

"We think it was an attack." The male SeeD said, "Just like Dollet and Timber."

Quistis frowned, staring right at Xu. "Where else did they get?"

"The palace. President Loire was in a meeting…we don't know what happened to him."

Despite all the questions, fleeting thoughts, and a killer headache, Quistis just nodded. Blue orbs flashed towards the male, getting right down to business. "Arrange the troops into three teams. One will search the city for survivors and evacuate them to the underground bomb shelters. The second team will find those responsible for this attack and bring them to me."

"And the others?" he asked.

Quistis stumbled past them and into the hallway, "Find Ellone Loire and protect her at all costs."

Just before she went out of sight, Quistis stopped her gait to address one last order. "Xu. Send word to our men in Galbadia. Tell them I want Squall Leonhart _now."_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** A shorter one this time, but still packed a punch. Esthar has been attacked!

The next few chapters happen to be my favourite (in a weird sadistic kind of way). There's some big things about to happen to Squall that could potentially shape his character in future chapters and instalments to this series.

Thanks again for the reviews, and keep them coming! Seeing the enjoyment in other people's comments truly makes me happy and motivated to see this story to the end. We are officially half way through, guys!

Read and review!

Happy Reading!


	19. Phase XVIII: White Lilies

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XVIII<strong>

**White Lilies**

**Winhill, Galbadia/Raine's Old Apartment **

**November 1st, 2009. 1745 hrs**

"Okay, so we know both Rinoa and Seifer are _definitely_ involved now." Zell said, sitting on the wooden floor of Raine's old apartment.

Angelus sipped at some cheep Galbadian beer while leaning against foot the couch, "Seifer left the country. She looked rather pissed about it."

"They're still in a relationship." Squall added offhandedly as his eyes curiously scanned the documents in his lap. None of it made sense, figures and script were typed or written entirely in Estharian. A bigger question hung in the air between the three men.

Why did Caraway, the newly elected president of Galbadia, have Estharian medical records stashed away in a locked desk drawer? The question ate at him, and Squall was drawing a serious blank.

Zell raised a brow, "Jealous much?"

Angelus nudged Squall's leg, "Naw, man. He's all over Selphie now."

"Guys, _focus_." Squall scowled, holding up a few pages, "Why would Caraway have these?"

"Who cares? He's dead. Outta sight, outta mind, bro!" Zell exclaimed, setting his beer down next to him. When he looked up, Squall and Angelus were sending questionable glares his way. "What? Too soon?"

"Have they announced who's taking over in his place?" Angelus asked.

"Nope." Squall replied, "The media's been too caught up with his funeral processions and the investigation as to what started the fire. Rinoa hasn't even talked to the media yet, and it's been a week."

"I saw her talkin' to Watts at the party." Angelus added. "Think that has to do with anything?"

"Rinoa was worried about Zone." Squall shrugged. "Maybe Watts something found out."

"Found out that SeeD took him hostage or that he's dead?" Angelus raised a brow.

"You mean, like, he might've been fillin' her in?" Zell chimed in.

Only listening with half an ear, Squall skimmed through the documents again and let out a frustrated sigh, "Why the hell are these Estharian? I can't read any of this!"

"Dude, fuck those documents!" Zell snapped, trying to grab them from Squall's hand.

Angelus looked over a stray page that appeared to be a contract or prescription of some kind. The bottom had a signature scrawled on a dotted line and was dated just over a year ago. Squinting, he recognized the name. "O-Odine?"

"_Odine?" _Zell scoffed, "Mr. Mad Scientist? Well, that _sorta _makes sense. He did have an interest in Rinoa bein' a sorceress, right? Maybe Caraway was worried about his daughter, which is why he had these."

_No interim president had been announced to the public._

_Rinoa hadn't talked to the media. _

_Caraway was Rinoa's father. _

_Caraway had Estharian medical records signed by Odine himself. _

_Odine had an interest in Rinoa being a sorceress. _

_Rinoa is a sorceress. _

_…__It's starting to make sense now. _

Squall promptly turned to Angelus, "Rinoa left with Caraway." Angelus nodded in return. "They got to the mansion, Caraway was killed, and the mansion went up in flames."

"Do you think _she_ was killed in the fire?" Zell asked him, and Squall immediately ruled this possibility out.

"No, I think she _caused_ the fire."

* * *

><p><strong>Winhill, GalbadiaWinhill Bluffs**

**1752 hrs**

"You think he's here?" An Estharian soldier asked his partner who stood next to him on a cliff overlooking the small pastoral village.

"We got word that he was spotted here. He isn't going to like what we have to tell him." His partner replied.

The man sighed, "I still can't believe it. Makes me want to get the hell out of this country for what they did to ours."

His partner grunted before turning on a small device that transmitted the message back to Lieutenant Xu. "Simba has been located. We're going in."

"Good. Report back when you're done."

"Let's move."

* * *

><p>Squall was cleaning up the mess they had made in the living area after Angelus and Zell left. In the pit of his stomach, he felt wary of the small apartment above the bar. Everything had been preserved and left untouched since Raine had lived here. Had she survived, this would have been his home, too. This house held the answers to what had been absent his whole life. His roots, his <em>family<em>.

Squall wasn't a superstitious man nor believed in ghosts, but if Raine really did die in this house, he wouldn't want to get on her bad side. Ellone had filled him in on his mother's temperament, especially when it came to dealing with Laguna's mess. Allowing a small smirk to form on his lips, Squall filed all the papers away into a folder and shoved it into his black duffel bag for safekeeping.

"Hiya!"

He peered up to see Selphie standing by the door with a bright smile on her face. She had on a floral sundress and brown sandals instead of her usual white tank top, jean skirt, and knee high boots. The weather in Winhill was unlike Deling City, which normally had chillier temperatures this time of year. Winhill was so far south on the Galbadian continent that summer never truly ended. He even opted for a simple grey t-shirt paired with his black shorts to beat the almost unbearable heat.

Squall straightened, "What's up?"

She walked closer to him, eyes catching the nearby window for emphasis. "It's a nice day out, and you're cooped up in here?"

"Just finished some work."

She giggled, trying to distract herself from his eyes trailing up and down her body. "What're you doing for the rest of the day?"

Squall scratched his neck, "Uh, I guess not much."

Selphie looked hopeful, "Nothing at _all?" _

"Well, I was gonna go visit Raine."

"Mind having company?" Her smile never relented.

"Not at all."

"Maybe you should get her something. Raine liked flowers, why not stop by the florist?"

Squall frowned, "You think?"

"Yeah!" Selphie laughed, grabbing his hand, and dragged Squall to the door, "It'll be fun!"

There were things he knew well like combat and battle strategy, but Squall knew absolutely nothing about flowers or anything remotely sentimental- let alone buying his mother or females, in general, gifts.

The old stone house sat on the side of the dirt road, smelling of various scents competing to get into your nostrils at the same time. Squall's eyes searched the displays of flower vases and pots holding all sorts of blooms. The level of femininity in the small store made him uneasy. It was crowded with stock, but it had been clear upon arriving that Selphie and himself were their only customers.

Selphie stepped around a large bouquet marveling at its beauty, "Didn't someone say she liked white flowers?"

"Did she?" he asked her.

"She's your mother!"

"I don't know," Squall frowned, "You're a girl. Pick something."

Selphie took a moment, spotting a bouquet of white lilies. A smirk crossed her face, pointing at it. "Okay, fine. I like that one!"

"I'll get the lady to grab it." He told her, walking to the service desk. An elderly woman sat there reading a book when he approached, and judging by how far along she was, Squall assumed she didn't get many customers. "Hey, can we get some flowers from that display over there?"

At first the she didn't seem too interested in him, but averted her gaze anyways. Her expression went from irritated to utter shock, like she'd seen a ghost.

"Oh! You need something, young man!" She switched to a rather forced politeness. "Most definitely! Which one?"

After showing her, the lady began to ring them out at the counter. As he paid, Selphie meandered around the shop, inspecting different blooms and was too distracted to notice anything peculiar about the store clerk.

"Who should I make the card out for?" She asked him.

"You don't have to. They're not really a gift. It's for a grave."

The ladies eyes went wide, "Boy, may I ask you a question?"

Squall dignified her with an odd stare, but said nothing.

"Have you been in this town before?"

Due to their current situation with the Galbadian authorities up north, Squall still chose to stay silent.

"You look like an old friend of mine. She had a boy like you. He hadn't been in this town for almost twenty years since the girl died. It was quite tragic I must say. He was just a baby when he left, bundled in blue being shipped off to Hyne knows where." She sounded sorrowful while applying the last piece of tape to the bouquet. Squall inwardly sighed.

Selphie's ears perked up when she heard something about a baby.

"I'm sure he's fine." Squall felt the need to say, even though irony was thick in the air.

She smiled then, "Say, if these are for someone special, do you plan on getting her anything?"

Before he could retort, the store clerk rummaged through an arrangement behind her as he tried to not glance at Selphie. "Raine made the best flower crowns. I learnt the arrangement myself to keep her legacy alive." She gently placed the very arrangement on the counter next to the bouquet. "This will keep your friend over there smiling."

After packaging everything up, she leaned over the counter and whispered, "I am glad you survived."

Squall justified that was a nod and strode out of the shop with Selphie in tow. Making their way down the road again, the sounds of workingmen going about their evening on the docks by the river filled the uncomfortable silence.

"So, that was interesting." Selphie commented. "She knew you."

"Whatever. Let's just go." He grumbled.

"What'd she give you?"

His thoughts were drawing him into himself so much that he almost completely forgot within five minutes of leaving the store, "Oh, right. This is for you."

"Oh wow! Thanks Squall! You're so sweet!" She exclaimed, putting the crown on her head that perfectly matched her dress.

He shrugged, "Glad you like it."

Selphie grabbed his hand again, "Come on! I'm sure Raine's excited to see you!"

Squall had to think hard as to how to get to the humble sized graveyard having only been there once a few years back. Ellone had forced him to come along. Squall listened to her speak of good times to the small marble tile that had his mother's name engraved into it, but couldn't bring himself to say anything. The concept of talking to a dead person was still relativity new to him.

They walked down the hillside with Selphie latching onto his hand trying to not lose a sandal. He had to help her most of the way down guiding her in their desired direction until they found a small yard sectioned off by a wooden fence that had a plaque marked _'St. James Cemetery_'.

It was right near the back, almost out of sight; Selphie knew this was it when he stopped to look down at something. Displayed on a white marble slab was the name 'Raine Loire' scrawled out with simple, yet elegant, type. Squall remained quiet for a moment, setting the flower's down at the foot of the grave.

Selphie playfully nudged him, "Why don't you say something?"

"I don't know what to say." Squall whispered back like Raine could hear him.

She giggled, "Start with hello."

"Do you think she can hear me?"

Selphie nodded, "The dead always can. They're always watching over us."

Squall wasn't sure how he felt about that, wondering if Raine was disappointed in him over the way his life turned out. What kind of mother would be proud of a son who got paid to kill people? To fight wars and do the things he had done just in the past few months?

That unsettling feeling was at its peak, but his stoic expression masked his nerves well enough to prevent Selphie from catching on. If she was right though, he might as well get this over with.

"Hey Raine. It's me…your son. I've…been okay, I guess. It's been awhile since I came here. Hope that's okay."

Selphie's heart melted as she watched Squall interact with his late mother. A sense of pride came over her in that moment. At least he was trying.

Squall flashed a glance her way and jerked his thumb towards her, "Oh, this is Selphie. She's my-" He stopped himself for a moment, "a friend of mine."

She took in a sharp inhale to quell the fluttering in her chest. Shock took a little too long to subside by the time logic sent in. He wasn't going to call her his…_that_ was he?

_Just pretend you didn't hear that! Stay cool, Sef. _

Selphie crouched down next to him, minding her skirt brushing the grass by her feet. Pushing her thoughts away, Selphie mustered up the warmest tone she could to mask her surprise, "It's nice to finally meet you, Mrs. Loire. Squall's grown up to be a really great guy. You must be so proud of him like I am."

Blooded rushed into his cheeks. Her kind words were unexpected, and Squall couldn't help but feel flattered. He also couldn't take a compliment if his life depended on it.

_Does she actually think of me this way? Or is she just sucking up to my dead mother? _

Most guys brought girls home to meet their parents. Maybe girls had to act a certain way to get their mothers to like them. Would Raine have liked Selphie? But she wasn't his…Selphie wasn't his _anything_. Sure they were in this odd grey area now, but wait- was this actually becoming some sort of _date?_ Panic set in, and Squall felt like he was going to throw up.

"Um…" Squall let out in a whisper, "Maybe we should get going."

Selphie complied without another word, getting up to stand. Squall said his goodbyes to the grave, and they made there way out of the cemetery.

"Heey," She tugged his hand after a while, grabbing his attention. They were just descending another hill, and the sky was turning a reddish pink.

"Yeah?"

Selphie smiled, "Why not stay here a while? It's not everyday we can be out in a place like this."

Squall's eyes shifted around in question, "Selphie, it's a field."

"I bet the sunset's gonna be awesome!" She said, passionately. When she realized that he still didn't seem convinced, Selphie pressed on, "C'mon! Pleeease Squall? Just for a bit."

"Selphie…"

She plopped down in the grass totally ignoring his protests. Her eyes looking up at him expectantly until Squall relented with a heavy sigh. He sat next to her on the slope of the hill, eyes trained on the setting sun. They remained quiet for some time, before Selphie broke the silence.

She was twirling a few blades of grass around when she spoke, "Can I ask you a question?"

Squall raised a brow to that, "What?"

"Why didn't you keep in touch with me after Garden shut down?"

He kept his eyes ahead of him, feeling her green ones boring into the side of his head. At first he didn't know how to answer, but he supposed the truth would clear things up a little more. "I…wasn't sure how I felt at the time."

"...About Rinoa or…about me?" Selphie asked him, hesitantly.

"I don't know." He deflated, "Both?" She nodded, going uncharacteristically silent now, which concerned him a bit.

"It's just…" She trailed off, "I don't know about you…about us."

"I don't either."

Her green eyes cast back to the sunset, "I mean, I wanna know, y'know? I _wanna_ figure this out. I have for a while, but then you were a jerk, and then we were cool, and now we're here. In a field, looking at the sunset, and I'm wearing this crown you gave me and we-" Her face was pulled towards his and met his lips instantly. Unlike the last time, Selphie let him kiss her, and she kissed him back. It was longer than the last time; filled with those same contradicting emotions.

When he pulled away, a smile crept upon her lips, forehead pressing his. "What…"

"I wanted to see if you'd slap me this time." Squall whispered and was dealt with a playful jab to the torso in return. "You proved my point."

She laughed, pulling away, "You're point?"

His eyes brightened, his body sitting closer to hers, "You're a violent one."

Her hand was midair when his reflexes kicked in and caught it before she could deliver another blow. "H-hey!" She shrieked when he bound her wrists together with one strong hand.

Selphie wrenched her hands away, but he didn't let go. "I can kick your ass, Leonhart! Don't make me do it!"

Squall smirked, "Try me."

She collided her elbow with his shoulder, but Squall countered by pinning her hands to the ground next to her until his body was pressing up against hers. Selphie turned her head to find his face inches away. This close, she could see small green freckles in his eyes that she never noticed before and how his trademark scar was now a slightly jagged white line across the bridge of his nose.

And for the first time, _she _kissed _him, _short and sweet.

The confusion settled between them, replaced with a budding warmth and relief knowing that they both felt the same way. Selphie settled into his side, his arm wrapped around her petite frame watching the sunset. They stayed this way for what felt like hours.

Selphie was dozing off when she heard his deep voice rumble against her ear, "It's getting dark. We should get back." He pulled her to her feet, a small smile lingering on his lips, leading the way to the dirt road again.

"I had fun." She told him with his arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Me, too." He replied, kissing the side of her head when they finally made it onto the road.

"Mr. Leonhart?"

Squall turned to see two men in black standing behind them. Scrutinizing them with untrusting eyes, he replied with caution, "Depends who's asking."

"We work for President Loire's personal security unit." One of them explained, "We have matters to discuss with you that can't wait."

Squall let Selphie go, "What're are you talking about?"

"Please come with us, Mr. Leonhart." The same soldier urged him.

_If these guys came to find me, there has to be a good reason. Something must've happened. _He desperately hoped that wasn't the case.

"Squall?" Selphie called him.

"I'll see you back at the bar." He told her over his shoulder, joining the two men who led him towards Winhill's city hall.

They found a vacant office to the side of the foyer, and Squall sunk slowly into an old wooden chair while they chose to stand.

"Why did you call me here?"

"Esthar was attacked." The one who did all the talking said.

He knew it.

Squall swore under his breath, rubbing his temples furiously.

_Of course Rinoa would go after Esthar!_

"Why have you been looking for me? Doesn't Trepe have it under control over there? She's got enough SeeDs in her army to defend the city." Squall snapped, and neither of them chose to speak. "How could this happen!?"

The quiet one frowned, "They bombed us. Missiles. The Presidential Palace was a direct hit."

Upon hearing this, Squall held his breath. His eyes widened, and his heart stopped for a moment. "The President was in a meeting and…"

Squall's throat felt like it was coated in sandpaper.

_Squall, don't go! It's Christmas eve…_

A memory played back in his mind from a year ago. The last time him and his father had been in the same room, let alone had spoken.

"We have searched the area, but haven't found any survivors."

_Fuck you, I don't need you! I never have. I've been fine all these years on my own!_

"I'm sorry, son. We'll leave you alone for a few moments." His ears almost didn't catch that, trying miserably to control his emotions. When the door shut behind them, the silence grew louder and blanketed him with its comfort.

He had to remember to breathe. In and out…that's all it took to extinguish the ball of fire burning in his chest. His hand clenched around the armrest until his knuckles turned white and veins protruded from his forearm to the top of his hand.

_Squall, I knew your mother…_

_It's a good thing you don't look like your father. _

_I'm…your dad. _

_I'm glad you came to visit for Christmas, Ellone's gonna be so excited! _

_You look very much like your mother. _

The memories were all in the past tense. He _hated_ the past tense.

Visiting his mother was one thing, she was six feet under, and he never had the privilege to get to know her. What was worse was aside from all the time and energy Squall spent trying to avoid his father and blame him for everything, he spent less time actually getting to know him. It was too late, and Squall might have missed his chance.

Seventeen years lost, two years somewhat gained, the rest of Squall's life would again be without a father. And suddenly he realized he was no better, if not worse, than the man who typed in the coordinates for the missile that hit the Presidential Palace.

Anger rose inside his chest when he recalled the events that occurred in the past few months. The destruction, the lies, and the power hungry Galbadian government enforcing fear into other cities and countries until they crippled and disintegrated.

He hated it. He hated it _all_.

Up until this point, Squall hadn't emotionally checked into what had been happening. He fought because it was all he could do to survive, and the Naperic group and the Underground Association needed to know what was going on. From losing his home, to his family, Rinoa was going to pay a hefty price for all the damage she'd done.

Squall knew what came next. And he would see it through to the very end or he'd die trying.

Because this war just got personal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Why Hello! It's been a bit longer than I'd liked to post this chapter. It's been a crazy week...and soon to be crazy month for me, but I promise I'll keep updating regularly. I typically gun for Sunday-Monday, but...you know. Haha.

Anyways, let's recap!

Big chapter for Squall and Selphie. If you haven't already guessed, this story is a Squalphie (Sorry to disappoint you Squinoa fans...). They finally stopped beating around the bush and got right to it. I felt like the last couple of chapters have been all action packed with WTF moments and wanted to write something fluffy and lighthearted. All of the feels!

Now, big moment here. Squall finds out about what happened to Esthar and Laguna! Things don't look so good for him now. It's at this moment that really drives Squall's storyline from now until the end of the series. That's right, Squall going through some stuff thats going to really impact his character, and I cannot wait to slow you.

Also, again, I'd like to thank you guys for the reviews! I'm really feeling the love here. You guys are amazing! Please keep up the reviews whether their constructive criticism or praise. I also reply to every signed review, and if you want me to read something, I'd love to!

Happy reading guys! Big things are going to happen real soon! :D


	20. Phase XIX: Motion

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XIX<strong>

**Motion**

**Winhill, Galbadia/Raine's Bar**

**November 2nd, 2009. 1207 hrs**

A single finger rimmed the empty glass sitting in front of her on the old wooden countertop. The clock ticked back at her from above the liquor cabinet as she sat alone in the dimly lit bar. Selphie's green eyes periodically peered up at its hands, but somehow still lost track of how many hours had past since she first sat down. Her head had long become fuzzy from the beverage's potent flavour, which also quelled the series of questions she had swirling around in her mind over what happened earlier that day.

After Squall had left with the two Estharians, she headed back to the bar to wait for him only to find it _conveniently_ empty of any of her faction mates. A perfect time to leave her to drive herself crazy with her musings, she opened a few bottles and called it a day.

Despite everything, today was amazing; probably the best day she had in a while. A strange weight had been lifted from her shoulders when Squall had kissed her as she stupidly rambled about their perplexing romantic situation. Today had put an end to the questions that had bothered her for over two years now. They were finally making progress.

Selphie wasn't sure what she wanted out of this or where this would lead them. She _did _know that whatever was about to happen, she would be sure to be by his side.

A grin crossed her face as she fingered at a white petal of the flower crown he gave her that sat next to the empty glass. Her stomach fluttered, and suddenly she couldn't wait to see him.

She almost didn't hear the bar's front door fly open and the heavy pounding of boots bolt across the floor and up the stairs lining the wall to her left. Startled, Selphie's eyes caught sight of the person's black boot and matching shorts disappearing behind the wall at the top of the stairs.

"Squall?" she called after him, but the door just slammed shut behind him so hard that she saw dust falling from the old ceiling.

Selphie slid off the barstool and went after him, leaving the flower crown and beer on the wooden counter. When she got to the door of Raine's apartment, the door was unlocked. She didn't hesitate to step inside, as the feeling of concern grew stronger, nagging at her to find out what was going on.

Something was _definitely _wrong.

Squall carelessly shoved his clothing into his black duffle bag on the twin bed in front of him; movements rushed and full of panic.

"What are you doing?" Selphie asked him, venturing closer. When he didn't respond, she pressed on. "Where you going?"

Squall slid the strap onto his shoulder, finally looking at her with this strange darkness in his eyes. "Selphie, I don't have-"

Her hand pressed his sternum, cornering him between the beds and blocking his way to the door. "Squall, what's wrong?"

"I need you to do something for me."

She raised a brow, "What?"

He ignored her question and continued, "Don't follow me. I'm skipping town." It instantly became evident that shock and confusion set into her, and Squall took this chance to step around her and leave before she could protest.

"_Why?" _Her small hand reflexively latched onto his forearm.

He refrained from saying anything else, blue eyes intensely staring deep into hers. Squall debated explaining everything to Selphie, but also knew he didn't have time for a heart to heart either. He didn't have a choice, and she wasn't going to like what he was about to do.

"I'd rather you be hurt by me than anything else." His voice dripped with bitterness.

Her features twisted into anger, hurt, and confusion much like it did many times before. "What the hell is that supposed to mean!?"

"It _means _that I'd rather you stay outta my business!" Squall's words bit harder. "We'd be better off if we stay away from each other, got it?"

Selphie felt something tighten in her chest, shaking her head in disbelief as Squall walked right past her to the door. He was deliberately pushing her away again. "You son of a…"

Once his hand landed on the old golden knob, Selphie swiftly turned on him. "NO!" She shouted, "You don't get to run away! You don't get to leave again!"

For a few seconds, she stared at his tense back, feeling the tension between them grow thick in the air.

And that's when everything blew up.

Squall spun around, black duffel dropping to the floor as he stormed over to her. He yelled in her face, "Don't you get it!? This is _war_, Selphie! Not some fucking romance novel! People are dying, places are being blown off the map, and all you care about is _me!?" _

"The _war _doesn't give a shit about how _you_ feel, how_ I_ feel, or anything else! My family-" He caught himself, air leaving him completely as his eyes shifted away at something behind her, refusing to keep eye contact in a moment of weakness. His emotions created a ripple effect reminding him that he wasn't as strong as he wanted to be.

Silence overcame them both as Selphie pieced together what he was trying to get at. His family…Squall never referred to Sir Laguna or Ellone as his _family. _Those men came from Esthar to specifically speak to him in private.

Her green eyes slowly cast upward to his face, analyzing his posture and breathing. This close Selphie could see it between the panting and tension. Squall was trembling. He was coming apart at the seams, desperation evident in his tone and features.

_They attacked Esthar!_

The unspoken news still dropped a heavy weight on her even if he hadn't officially confirmed it yet. Selphie felt anger at first, not for Squall's idiocy, but because she had seen this play out once before. She felt the same way he did when Trabia had been hit during the last war.

"Squall…" Selphie deflated, stepping forward to touch him.

"They came to tell me." Squall's voice was low and hopeless. "The Presidential Palace was targeted, my father was…"

Arms snaked around him instantly, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She closed her eyes tightly, remembering the absolute devastation she felt when she was told her home had been destroyed, and all her friends, _her family,_ with it.

"I'm sorry, Squall." His shirt muffled Selphie's voice as she spoke. "I'm sooo sorry."

The embrace was reluctantly returned, her warmth still felt foreign to him. "I'm…" he trailed off, eyes connecting with the old wooden floorboards behind her, "I'm going to Esthar."

Selphie pulled away and received a stoic expression in return. Despite her uncertainly, Selphie knew what she had to do. "Me too."

Squall ran a hand through his hair, going silent again to deliberate this. He finally sighed, shaking his head. "No."

Selphie braced herself for another argument. "Why not!?"

Squall was fed up, rubbing his temples vigorously, "If you got hurt or _worse_…"

"I'm a SeeD!" she replied, defensively.

"That doesn't matter." Squall retorted, eyes narrowed. "It isn't about that."

"Then what _is _it about!?" Selphie lost her temper, "I can actually help you!"

He looked just as conflicted as before, "If something happens…"

"We can take care of it!" She finished for him.

He looked deep in her eyes for any indication that she would cower away from this decision. "Selphie, are you sure?"

She nodded, "If there's anything I can do, I'd do it, Squall. Please just give this a chance. Give _me _a chance."

_Give her a chance? Does she even realize what would happen if I…if I lose her, too? Because I couldn't say no? I don't know what to do. _

"Take me with you." Selphie stated, green eyes holding that same determination she had the day she forced him to split the group up so she could go to the missile base to save her home.

_She believes in us. She thinks we might still have a chance. _

"Fine."

Selphie smiled triumphantly before firmly kissing him.

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar City, Estharian Continent<strong>

**1600 hours **

Quistis Trepe was at her wits end. Her eyes scanned over the paperwork in front of her. Reports on top of reports. Damage reports, death counts…numbers. So many fucking numbers! She sat alone in her makeshift office deep within the confines of the bomb shelter located under the city.

"How could this happen?" She asked herself, but no answer came.

_The disputes between Esthar and Galbadia have been quiet for over two years now. I would know I negotiated the terms for Laguna myself. _

_Why would they attack us? What's going on? _

"Zir." She heard the thick accent of a native Estharian solider enter her office and stand at attention in his light blue uniform. "Ze paramedics have given zeir updated report on ze death toll az of an hour ago."

"What's the count?"

"Over a million, Zir." His voice had a hint of sympathy. He couldn't offer more than that as everyone expected strength from the soldiers and authority figures in a time of major loss.

"Was one of those million Loire?" She sighed, dreadfully.

He looked unsure, "Ve haven't found the body, Zir. Crewz are ztill rummaging through ze wreckage of ze palace."

"Dismissed." She stated, offhandedly.

"Excuze me?" He seemed not to catch the hint that she wanted him to go.

"Dismissed!" She shouted, and the man rushed out the door leaving Quistis to stare at the reports on her desk again. They held the hourly tally of bodies recovered from wreckage with names and civilian identification numbers.

She almost wanted to go out there and find Laguna herself, hoping to Hyne the bastard was alive so she could yell and scream at him for making her take on such a heavy burden. Then she would yell at him some more for giving her a heart attack.

She grabbed her military pea coat and strode out of her office to a nearby exit that could only be open with her authorization. Once the door dislodged, she took a deep breath feeling the cold wind brush against her skin- the first signs of winter approaching.

The blonde pulled a pack out of her pocket to light a cigarette. In SeeD, she wasn't much of a smoker and would pink slip anyone caught doing it on school grounds, but times had changed. She really needed a smoke to ease the stress right now.

"Didn't take you for a smoker, Trepe." Xu said from behind her.

"Whatever." Quistis mumbled, rolling one into the corner of her mouth and took a drag.

Xu laughed at the irony. "Does he know?"

"Of course he knows. I sent my men out to tell him. Turns out Simba was in Winhill."

Simba was a code name they used. Throwing Squall Leonhart's name around was kept to a minimum for the sake of security. It wasn't common knowledge here that Laguna Loire had an estranged son. Even when skepticism was at its highest right now, people would quickly point fingers at anyone who was a potential suspect. Especially when they dug deeper to find out that the relationship between the two had been even more strained that it ever had been over the past year.

"They should be on their way back by now." Quistis added.

"You think he'll show?" Xu asked.

"I really hope he does."

"Oh, and while we are on that topic. Ellone wants to speak with you."

Quistis eyed her friend and put the cigarette out with her boot. "Okay, where is she?"

"Her quarters." Xu said, "Just…be careful. She's got questions, and she's angrier than a behemoth if that's even possible."

Quistis nodded and made her way back into the shelter.

* * *

><p>"Ellone." Quistis spoke, "You wanted to see me?"<p>

The girl looked up from her bunk, "Have you heard anything?"

The room was small and meant for only one person. Usually quarters like these were saved for military personnel only, but Ellone Loire was an exception.

"Ellone-"

She stood up, her brown hair falling into her face. Her light brown eyes held so much concern with tears rimming her lower lids. "Please. I need to know what's going on!"

"Laguna…he's-" She didn't know how to put this into words.

"I meant Squall!" Ellone cried.

Quistis' blue eyes softened as she sat down on the bed, "I sent some men to go find him and relay the message. From their report, Squall was seen in Deling City a week ago and traveled to Winhill where he had been staying. They caught up with him there."

"And?"

"He knows about the attack. Actually, he must have found out before it hit the media." Quistis added.

"So is he coming here?" Ellone sat down next to her.

"I don't really know." She answered honestly.

"I want to talk to him!" Ellone shouted.

"You cant."

"Why not!? He's my brother! I need to talk to my brother!" Ellone was getting frantic now.

"We don't know where he is."

Communication had been few and far between. The last report from her men in Galbadia detailed that they _did _speak with Squall. He understandably hadn't taken the news well. When left alone for a brief moment, Squall disappeared again. She made a mental note to fire those two idiots when they got back.

"What do you mean, you just said-"

"He's Squall," Quistis cut her off to avoid further questions, "One way or another, he's going to show up. Just have faith in him."

Ellone huffed and rubbed her face. Dejectedly, she dropped her hands into her lap looking more exhausted than ever. "I'm going crazy." Ellone complained.

An idea struck in Quistis' mind just then. She may not be able to get Squall to Esthar any sooner, but she could at least help Ellone.

"I have a job for you then."

* * *

><p><strong>Winhill, GalbadiaEllone's Parents House**

**0145 hrs**

Angelus typed away at a report on the laptop they carried with them from Deling City. He was tinkering with the signal of the system trying to connect with Cesar to check the status of the Galbadian army. From the last time he checked in, they were still on the lookout for the SeeD members they thought were responsible for the death of Zone and setting the mansion fire. As much as Angelus thought that was bullshit, he knew it wasn't Cesar or the UA who pointed the finger at the SeeDs.

_Rinoa's a smart girl; she probably put two and two together. _

He proceeded to log into the underground network's server through a remote access point that he frequently used this gateway whenever he wasn't in Deling. Angelus used to pride himself on his advanced computer literacy with the UA. When he initially started with the Forest Owls, he was usually on security scans and monitored data coming in and going out. It had been a few years since he actively practiced this, but felt relieved that he still retained most of it.

A buzz and a crackle came from one of the comm.-links they used for missions. Angelus flashed his eyes over to it and picked up the small earpiece. The signal was slightly better than most places out east as the army had yet to venture this far south of the continent.

Putting the small black device into his ear, Angelus waited until the voice became clear enough to understand.

_"…__ya there?...Ce…r. It's….me. Angelus. Ya there? Can ya hear me?"_ Cesar spoke.

"Yeah," He replied. "What's up?"

_"__Are ya logged into the system where ya are?" _

"I am. You got an update?" Angelus asked, turning back to the computer monitor.

_"__I'm sendin' it now." _

A compressed file flashed onto his screen that required three separate password logins. Angelus eagerly typed away at the keyboard and clicked on the icon until it opened. Inside, he found two files containing images and a profile.

When he saw what they were, he couldn't believe it.

They were a series of images taken between October 20th and 21st. One was of two men dragging a body out of a car, and although it was pixilated and evidently taken from a security camera of some kind, he knew instantly who they were.

_They were onto us the whole time. _

The rest were taken from various others. Some were from inside the ballroom itself and others from the Deling Golden Gate Square later that night.

But it wasn't these images that concerned him. It was the other file containing old mug shots from two years ago and what looked like an arrest warrant that concerned him more. The man in the image wore a SeeD uniform, was clean-shaven, and his brown hair combed back professionally. His blue eyes stared back at him with familiar intensity, and the diagonal scar had still been a fresh wound. In simple san serif typed font, the warrant said:

**Name:** Squall Leonhart

**Age:** 17

**Height:** 5'10

**Eyes:** Blue

**Hair:** Brown

**Occupation:** SeeD Commander- Rank A Officer

"Wanted for the kidnapping and murder of Zone Frane in cold blood_. _Wanted for arson and is a potential suspect for the death of Fury Caraway. If seen, report to Galbadian authorities, as subject is armed and very dangerous. One billion Gil reward if found and captured!?" He read aloud.

He knew that Rinoa was on a crazy vendetta against what was left of SeeD, but to do this? To go _this _far?

"_Angelus? Ya still there? There's one more thing." _Cesar spoke to him carefully, and Angelus could only grunt his reply. "_Esthar's been targeted. Rinoa's men bombed the city. Blown 'em off the map like Trabia." _

"Angelus!" Riki came rushing into the room interrupting the conversation between Cesar and himself. Angelus dealt her an annoyed glare, watching her stomp over to him with a sheet of paper in hand. She looked alarmed, and he knew something bad just happened.

"What's going on?"

"It's Squall and Selphie!" Her tone didn't hide its urgency, "They're gone! All their shits gone, too! Selphie left a note. Looks like they took off to Esthar!" Angelus' ground his teeth tightening his jaw, eyes staring deep into Riki's.

_How could everything go from bad to totally fucking worse in a matter of five minutes?_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Another chapter update! Thanks for the positive response on the last one guys! You are truly amazing!

**Recap:** Squall and Selphie share a moment, and I don't think Squall's too convinced nor comfortable about this relationship thing. He's all over the place now. And going to Esthar!? He must be insane!

Good news is that Squall and Selphie are going to have more scenes together now, which is always nice.

Quistis is starting to lose her shit and so is Ellone (For good reason).

Angelus and Cesar just uncovered a HUGE bombshell. Rinoa's freaking insane. Why the hell is she accusing SeeD for everything? So we'll see what's about to happen in the next chapter.

The next two chapters actually happens to be my favourites for some reason, so stay tuned for that.

Keep up with your reviews! I reply to all signed ones, and still greatly appreciate the guest ones as well!

Happy reading!


	21. Phase XX: Borders and Bounties

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XX<strong>

**Borders and Bounties**

**Fisherman's Horizon/Horizon Bridge**

**November 12****th****, 2009. 1946 hrs**

The sky had donned a mixture of oranges and reds as the sun retreated into sparkling sea with the sounds of seagull's squawking above their heads, hovering over the Horizon Bridge. The constant changes in weather during their travels to various parts of the region left Selphie jaded. The ripped up jeans she had on to combat the evening chill from the night before stuck to her sweaty skin now, and she desperately was in need of a proper meal and shower.

The trek to FH had taken another week. From all the walking to hitch hiking, Selphie felt like she'd fall over any minute. Her feet and legs ached, and her back grew stiff from carrying her own pack with her clothing and the gear they had accumulated.

Squall strolled silently in front of her with his black duffel strapped across his body. She half expected him to keep to himself, but secretly hoped that he would open up to her now that they were..._closer_.

He'd made it obvious that he wasn't ready to talk just yet.

Whenever she tried to pry _something _out of him, he'd change the subject or simply not respond. From her observations, Squall was quickly growing obsessed with piecing together the factual information they had gathered in recent months and trying to predict Galbadia's next move. One thing became evident in the short time she spent with him; Squall was still a SeeD at heart, handling all this in the same manner he would have on an actual mission.

_You can take the man away from SeeD, but you can't take SeeD away from the man._

"That's weird." She heard him say, abruptly stopping his gait. Raising a curious brow, Selphie watched as Squall took in their surroundings and particularly eyed the civilians lined on both sides of the road. "I don't see any Estharians here, do you?"

Selphie couldn't see an Esthari rob anywhere. "Nope. That's _is _weird."

Squall just frowned, "We should split up. You go talk to Vaughn. See if he can give us an update."

"S-Sure." She said with a hint of uncertainty, "What about you, Squall?"

"I'll go talk to the mayor. I wanna know where he stands in all this."

Selphie waved, dismissively, "He's a pacifist. He won't have an opinion other than keeping the violence out of his city."

Regardless of her objection, Squall started towards the city core where Mayor Dobe's home stood in the centre of the 'Blue Bowl'. "Then I'll give him an opinion. Meet me at the old train station when you're done. We'll talk to James after."

The brunette just sighed in defeat. _What do I have to do to get through that stubborn skull of yours?_

* * *

><p><strong>Winhill, Galbadia Raine's Tavern**

**1946 hrs**

Yet again he found himself doing this. It wasn't like he was enjoying it this time, and it was even becoming a nasty habit.

The glasses rim touched his lips taking in the amber liquid, washing away the emotions and making his anxiety become fuzzy. Ever since they left Dollet, he took whatever chance he got to drink. In a strange way it soothed his nerves, but it hardly did the trick this time after what had happened a week ago.

Was Zell pissed? Of _course _he was.

In the dead of night his _best friend_, or so he thought, ran off without a word. Not only that, SeeDs were under fire again after the mission _they _failed.

Ring a bell?

_It's like whenever we go to Delin' we fuck up, and someone gets hurt. What are we doin'? Does any of this fuckin' matter anymore?_

"I think we had a conversation about the drinking, Zell." Selene spoke up finding a spot against the doorframe of the small kitchen leading into the bar area. She made her way over, elbows dropping onto the counter in front of him ready to take his half empty glass away before he went too far.

"Makes shit better." Zell mumbled, eyes staring at the base of the glass in his hands.

"Does not change anything." Selene dealt him a pointed look before sliding the cup out of his reach. "It won't solve your problems. Squall and Selphie still left-"

"You think it's just 'bout that!?" Zell snapped, his fist slamming against the counter. Selene flinched at his sudden burst of anger, but didn't back away, relocating the cup onto the shelf behind her and as far away from him as possible.

"…Sorry." Zell said after a few moments. "I didn't mean…"

"I am sure you did not." Selene replied, her voice on edge.

Zell sighed, "It's just my Ma. I don't want her to go after my Ma."

Selene leaned against the counter again, placing a delicate hand in his gloved ones. "Zell…"

"Last time the sorceress almost blew Balamb to smithereens. Rinoa's after _SeeD _now. She went after Squall's dad, so who's to say she won't go after Ma, too? I haven't spoken to her in _months_, and she probably saw the news!"

Selene leveled her gaze with an intense look in her honey colored eyes. "Zell, you are strong. She knows that. The organization may have disbanded, but you are still a SeeD. She believes in you as much as I."

He blinked to that, "…You believe in me?"

She broke into a grin, "More than you know."

Zell pulled away from the counter, "Thanks. I guess I needed that. Y'know, I keep wonderin' why Squall left without me. I mean, aside from Ma, he's like family. Family doesn't just leave like that."

"And if Balamb were targeted, you wouldn't do the same for your mother?" Selene asked, raising a blonde brow.

"I wouldn't even think about it. I'd be on the next train outta here."

"And he would, too." Selene smiled, "Squall does not act like he cares, but he really does. He is just as worried about his father like you are to your mother."

Considering this, Zell leaned back after a few moments, "What you do suppose I do then?"

Picking up his glass off the shelf, Selene made her way back into the kitchen to dump its remaining contents out. "Stop drinking!"

"I didn't agree to that!"

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonMayor Dobe's Place**

**2006 hrs**

"Absolutely not!" the Mayor of FH snapped, slamming his fist against the dinning table. Squall sat across from him and his wife, and they didn't look too pleased to see him again. The last time they talked war was when Balamb Garden had crashed into the side of FH, and the Galbadians had found their way into their city.

He had just finished explaining everything that had happened on either side of the man's country, but Dobe wasn't having any of it.

"Listen," Squall explained, "Two cities were destroyed, and everyone came here. There is an influx of refugees in _your _country now. How will you sustain these people on your own? This isn't like the last war. You have to chose a side now or you'll be next."

"We will talk to those Galbadians and set them straight. There is no need to fight." His wife protested.

Squall lost his temper, "I've seen it myself! They attacked civilians in Dollet without warning or even being provoked. The same will happen here if you don't act!"

"We have our ways in diplomacy to prevent our involvement in war. Our values state that we negotiate before we draw our weapons unlike you SeeD who sleep with yours." Dobe insulted him, and Squall felt every fiber in his being resisted the urge to throw the untouched porcelain teacup at him from across the table.

"There's a time to negotiate and a time to fight. President Loire of Esthar believed the same as you. That didn't stop Esthar from being blown off the map. Even the strongest of armies are no match for Galbadia and their Sorceress."

Dobe waved him off, stubbornly, "What happened in Esthar was unfortunate, and I do send my condolences to their people, but FH will still remain neutral to Galbadian-Estharian affairs and will continue to take in anybody who is in need of refuge. If the sorceress has an issue with this she can take it up with me herself."

_And fuckin' kill you! _Squall mentally screamed. _He has no idea what he's in for!_

"Hypothetically," Squall tried a different approach, "There's nothing stopping her from conquering your city as it serves as a benefit for its geographic location between Galbadia and Esthar. If her men do come and attack this city, _like they have before, _what's your strategy? Talk to them nicely and get them to leave? With all due respect, that sounds ridiculous from my perspective."

Anger flashed in Dobe's green eyes just then, his face contorted with absolute disgust, "_Your _perspective means little to us! A military man such as you, Mr. Leonhart, would never fully comprehend the concept of peace. You men thrive for war, you get anxious without it. You came here today to dare _me_ to choose a side? And if I choose opposite of yours? What would _you_ do? Kill me?"

Squall went silent to that. It was a valid question. What would he do if Dobe were stupid enough to choose Galbadia instead of…what? The Underground Association? SeeD? _His _side?

Dobe hated violence and refused to allow it within his city. He hated SeeD and what they stood for and probably had no idea what the Underground Association even was. It wouldn't surprise him if Dobe were completely oblivious to the presence of both SeeD and the UA living in his own back yard.

"I thought so." The mayor said, slowly standing from his chair, "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have more important matters to tend to than to discuss 'what ifs' with you, Mr. Leonhart."

"I will escort you out." His wife said with a smile.

Squall didn't see how this was amusing; Flo's stupid grin pissed him off even more as he was ushered out the front door.

Growling in frustration, Squall made for the bridge that led out of the Blue Bowl. If Dobe wouldn't listen to him, he needed to find someone who would.

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonAva's Diner**

**2023 hrs **

The door chime sounded and a dark haired man walked into the diner. Selphie sat in a booth at the other end with nothing but an earl grey steeping in front of her.

Vaughn sauntered over and slid into the worn out upholstered seat across from her, his violet eyes suspiciously narrowing into slits, "Ya here with my rug rat?'

_Rug rat? _Selphie blinked. _Oh, he means Riki._

"No," She replied and got straight to the point. "I need to ask you a few questions."

Vaughn raised an amused brow, leaning back against his seat. "Been an agent for a month, and yer already talkin' the talk, eh girlie? Angelus trained ya well."

Selphie frowned, thankful that Squall wasn't here to tolerate his behavior because she knew he wouldn't have been so patient. "What's been going on in FH since we left?"

He gave her an intense look, gears slowly turning in his head. "No Estharians, if that's what ya wanna know."

"None?" Selphie asked intently, sipping at her tea. "Why's that?"

Vaughn took his time, waiting for the waitress strutting by with coffee in hand to get out of earshot. "Nobody's been able to leave the east. Word from the SeeDs is that there's a Galbadian patrolled border crossin' there now. Nobody's allowed in or outta here from that side of the bridge."

Selphie contemplated this for a moment. "How do I get past them?"

"Y-ya wanna do what!?" Vaughn's features twisted into a bewildered expression as if she had gone completely crazy. "Ya wanna get past them? _Why!__?_"

"We need to go to Esthar. How do we get in?"

"Girlie, that's a _suicide _mission! There's no way. It's a_ long_ way to Esthar. Ya won't make it a mile tops! They'll kill yer kind on sight!"

Did she hear him right? "_My_ kind?"

Vaughn leaned in again, but this time he seemed more paranoid that someone around them was listening in. He eyed a fat trucker sitting on a stool at the nearby bar. "What the fuck happened in Deling City with ya kids? All I know is shit got fucked up when Cesar sent ya off to Winhill. Now Caraway's crazy bitch of a daughter's on a SeeD rampage!"

"We didn't _do _anything! Why would she be after us?"

Vaughn shook his head, looking very uncertain and distraught, "Naw, it ain't a good idea to go there still."

"Vaughn," Selphie rested her forearms on the table with fingers intertwined, whispering to match his hushed tone, "What's going on?"

Instead of explaining, Vaughn pulled out his phone, "Ya need'a watch this."

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonOld Train Station**

**2041 hrs**

Inside one of the trains, four of them sat in an old passenger booth. Squall had called a meeting with James, Nida, and another SeeD named Aiden Morgan to discuss their next order of business. Unlike James, Aiden wasn't such a familiar face. He had a tanned complexion, a frame of lean muscle, and a face covered in dark scruff. James referred to him as his 'right wing' of their small band of SeeDs, so Squall already had some respect for Aiden for having to deal with this hothead on a regular basis.

"So," James started, "What's the pleasure of this meetin', commanda?"

"I need to get to Esthar."

"Have you gone bloody mad!?"James instantly burst, "You wanna die, ya crazy asshole?"

Aiden casually waved off James' outburst, his voice composed in his lazy galbadian drawl, "What he means to say is Galbadia has the east border on lockdown. Won't be easy to get through 'em."

"Then we need to figure that out." Squall said. "Nida, any ideas?"

Nida shook his head, "Squall, they're right. You wont make it far."

"What do you suppose I do then!?" Squall shouted. When was the last time SeeD backed out of something like this? They always went on missions that required heightened risks. Fuck, sometimes their men got captured, but they didn't shut down the organization over it.

"How 'bout stay here n' fight when Galbadia comes for us!" James retorted, "They're comin' aren't they? We need our commanda!"

"Our men are being targeted in Esthar. I'm needed there. We need a plan to-"

"Squall!"

His eyes shot up over Aiden's head to find Selphie rushing into the car towards them. She completely disregarded all eyes on her, catching her breath before she came out with what Vaughn had just showed her.

"Selphie, slow down." He said, standing up into the aisle.

"We can't go to Esthar!"

Squall just glared down at her, feeling the eyes of his men bore into his back.

James snickered, "Looks like ye girlfriend has a bit of a brain unlike ya, Commanda."

"C'mon, Selphie." Squall demanded, grabbing her by the arm and dragging her away from the others. They got off the train and into the graveyard before Squall swiftly turned on her, "What the hell!?"

"Here!" She exclaimed, pulling out her white Smartphone from the back pocket of her jeans. "You need to see this!"

Squall snatched it from her and pressed play on the video file she got from Vaughn. It buffered for a few moments until he saw Rinoa staring back at him behind a podium. It looked like a press release.

"_Good afternoon, citizens of Galbadia. I am Rinoa Heartilly. Daughter of the late President Caraway."_

_This is the first media appearance since the mansion caught fire! What is she doing?_

"_Two weeks ago, a tragedy struck the nation. Upon returning from the inauguration ball, my father's home was set ablaze. He unfortunately did not make it." _Rinoa paused to take an emotion breath, "_He succumbed to his wounds instantly, and when we…found him it was too late. President Caraway was a hard workingman, spending most of his life serving this beautiful country of ours. I, his only daughter and remaining blood relative, have assumed his position to keep his legacy alive."_

_What!?_

"_I will be taking over office. I will help to bring peace that this country rightfully deserves. Against our enemies that oppose us."_

_Don't…don't even go there, Rin._

"_SeeD." _She would have spat the word if not for the formal public appearance, "_They have proven to be the ones responsible for the violence that refuses to dissipate. They cannot live without it! They have taken my father, my home, and even my closest friends. They want control; they want us to fear them!"_

The crowd in front of her started cheering, agreeing and hanging onto every word, every lie Rinoa told.

"_I come here to give you a solution." _She pressed on, "_We will not stop until everyone of them is rightfully prosecuted under Galbadian law. In order to do this, we must take down the one in charge; the one who brought victory to the SeeDs two years ago, who committed crimes, but was not properly tried by our justice system."_

He knew what came next before she could even say it.

"_Squall Leonhart, former SeeD Commander, is wanted for his crimes and the murder of Zone Frane and my father in cold blood. If seen, please report to the authorities. We need men like him off the streets to protect us and the people we love!" _The crowd roared as she continued to shout over them to finish off her message. Squall cut the video short, feeling sick to his stomach. He pushed Selphie's cell phone into her hand, walking past her to get some air.

He _killed _Zone? Zone killed himself. He _killed _her father? Squall had never even stepped foot into the mansion before it burned to the ground.

And Rinoa was blaming _SeeD _for this? She was blaming _him _for this!?

It was true that SeeD was created to kill sorceresses; that was SeeD's original intent before it turned into a military academy. She was a sorceress that lived among them behind the walls of Garden, in a place where the people who were designed to kill her kind lived and trained.

Squall inhaled sharply, struggling to gather his senses. He found himself staring out at the water now, Selphie's voice muffled and drowned out by his thoughts. _We _protected _her regardless. _I _protected her with my life…and this is what I get!_

_I should have kept her there. I shouldn't have broken her out of that seal. If I just…_

_This is all my fault, and I have to set things straight!_

"This changes nothing." He finally spoke, eyes trained on the setting sun disappearing into the sparkling ocean.

"Squall, we can't _go_ there!" She pleaded with him.

"Why?" Squall snapped, turning to her.

"Did you _not _just watch that video?"

"Look, if you're getting second thoughts, please, let me know right now."

"But-"

"I can't fuckin' believe this. You guys are too scared going against the _enemy?" _Scoffing bitterly, he just shook his head, "_You_ of all people should be on board with this!"

"You're not listening to me!" Selphie screamed.

"You told me to give you a chance." His voice depicting no significant emotion, "So, when the going gets tough you back out? I should have known you'd do this."

_He's questioning my loyalty!? My competence!? How _dare _you!_

It became incredibly evident that his trust issues ran deeper than she thought. As quickly as he could bring his defenses down, Squall could build them right back up just as easily.

"You cross that border, you get arrested. You get caught, and they'll execute you!"

Squall stared right back at her for a few moments before an odd smirk appeared on his lips.

"Then I got an idea."

After filling them in on Selphie's findings, Aiden carefully processed the information before turning to James. "Yer still cool with the sheet metal manufacturer?"

Selphie and Squall exchanged perplexed glances.

James just leaned back in his seat, "Ye, he n' I go back some, why?"

Aiden allowed a small grin, turning back to his commander, "Ya guys don't gotta worry 'bout a thing. Let me 'n James take care of the rest."

"One problem." Nida interjected, "They know what you look like now, Squall. You're face is gonna be everywhere in a matter of hours."

"Hey, Aiden, you gotta set of clippers?"

* * *

><p><strong>2203 hrs<strong>

Squall's eyes flashed into the mirror in front of him, ignoring the large crack in it as well as the nasty bathroom he was standing in. The stalls were busted inwards, doors threatening to fall off their hinges, and toilet paper was strung up like streamers or molded against the floor and ceiling.

A man stared back at him, and Squall tried to familiarize himself with his appearance.

Squall Leonhart, the SeeD Commander, was always a man of duty and could recite any paragraph in the SeeD manual from memory. He was stoic, taciturn, and introverted. He held friends at arms length and never asked for help. He was a SeeD, a member of Balamb Garden's elite special forces.

This man wasn't Squall Leonhart anymore.

He had no duty; he had no policies to recite. There wasn't a manual for this new life he led. The only rule he followed was to gather information and keep his mouth shut. He wasn't going to share the same fate as Zone, and he refused to die at the hands of his allies and enemies.

He wasn't just a SeeD anymore; he was a wanted criminal, a rebel fighter, and a UA agent.

Slowly lifting his shirt, he whipped away any stray hairs from his face and neck. Before its helm dropped to his waist, he caught sight of the faded lines of his tattoo on his left ribcage. The dark lines curled and twisted around the black and white emblem. The SeeD logo. He once wore it with pride, but now it was something that could have him killed.

Now it held a different meaning. It represented where he came from, his eternal allegiance for the fallen organization, and who he had become.

Squall had grown in a layer brown scruff on his jaw and upper lip from lack of grooming materials during his travels. His usual unruly brown locks were just discarded strands in the sink now. The buzz of the clippers ceased as he pulled them away to inspect his work. A hand ran across the side of his head, feeling the prickly strands tease his palm and tousle through the longer ones at the top that naturally spiked up.

After cleaning himself, he made his way outside to join the rest of the SeeDs around the bonfire. He found a spot on an old wooden crate, watching some of them dance and sing to the song blaring through the speaker system.

Selphie was among them; her hair had gone wavy from the sea salt and moisture carried in the air. She hung off a blonde girl's shoulders, assuming that she made a new friend.

"Ain't that quite the sight?" James chuckled and plopped down next to him with two freshly opened beers in hand, offering one to Squall. "Nice haircut. I quite like the rugged look ya have goin' on."

"Whatever." He took a sip and continued watching Selphie who now laughed hysterically at a joke with Aiden and Nida.

"She's a keepa, ya know."

Squall frowned, "Excuse me?"

James smirked, "Ya really are dense, mate." When Squall didn't answer, the SeeD clapped him on the shoulder.

"Dense?"

_What do you know anyway? _

"She's in _love_ with ya." He chuckled, "Maybe ye can't see it, but a gal's gotta be a bit dim to go behind enemy lines with a guy who's got a bounty on his head, yeah?"

He choked on his beer to that.

_She made a huge deal about not going to Esthar. And I accused her of backing out. She got mad. Hasn't talked to me since…_

Squall quickly regained his composure, ignoring James' hearty laughter. "Ya don't know much 'bout women, do ya?"

_Crap, maybe he's right. _

A giggle brought him out of this thoughts, and Squall looked up to see the blonde female SeeD standing over James with a coy smile on her face. The man grabbed the girl's extended hand getting to his feet.

"See? They're marvellous things, aren't they?"

Watching them saunter off to the fire, Squall located Selphie again who was in a deep conversation with Aiden.

She had come with Squall regardless of his protests, determined to help him through this. Over the past few months, all Selphie wanted to do was care for him, but as much as he pushed her away she wouldn't relent.

Did he love her back? He wasn't so sure yet.

He was definitely attached to her, and that scared the shit out of him.

The fear of abandonment nearly paralyzed him then, and he wasn't willing to go through that all over again. It was a dangerous situation, to fall in love with his comrade and fight along side her as well.

And that didn't end well the last time.

_This was a mistake. _

Tapping her on the back, Selphie turned, and her eyes immediately took in his new appearance.

"We need to talk." Squall said over the music.

* * *

><p>Squall had taken her to a room on the second floor of the main building of the train station. Old bedding had been prepared for them in the corner next to a large window. The mixture of moonlight and the bonfires glow illuminated the space, but blocked out the sounds from down below.<p>

Selphie pressed her back against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. Squall stood silently for a few moments, trying decide where to start.

She broke the silence first in an attempt to lighten the mood, "Nice haircut. Looks good, I really like it."

He was thankful for the dim lighting as it hid the flush in his cheeks. Squall scratched his head. "Look, I just need to know what's going on here."

Selphie blinked, "You and I both."

"Are you coming or not?"

She scoffed bitterly, "I can't believe you!"

Noting the perplexed look he was giving her, Selphie stomped around him with her hands in the air. "I try to tell you because I actually _care_ about what happens to you, and then you go and throw it in my face like I'm some kinda _coward_ or somethin'!"

"Selphie, I didn't mean it that way-"

"Didn't _mean _it!?" She echoed with more force, "Sounded like you did!"

"I don't think you're a coward."

She shifted her weight anxiously to that, "I get why you're the way you are, but not telling me things isn't gonna help either. I can't read you're mind!"

"You sound like everyone I've ever met." He frowned.

After a few moments he hesitated, "I…don't know what to do, okay?"

"With what?"

"Fuck," he shook his head, uncertainly. "I didn't want any of this. One minute I'm being dragged out to one of Zell's 'nights out' and the next I'm in the middle of a war." His legs grew weak under him, his body finally beckoning him to get some much-needed rest. Selphie sank to his side on the mattress.

His eyes trained ahead of him into the darkness, "People died, they lost their homes, their families…for what?"

Her fingers trailed through his hair soothingly, "Is all this even worth it?"

"All this? You mean, going to Esthar?" she asked.

His eyes were on her now, "Is it worth dying for?"

"We're SeeDs." She just said, knowing that's what he would say if the tables were turned. Regardless, Selphie didn't want to go to Esthar if that meant Squall's life was on the line. There was truth in her words though; they were designed to fight when the situation called for it. Disbanded or not, it was their duty.

Shaking his head, Squall pulled away and made for the dusty old window that overlooked his men who still sang and danced, carefree of what was going on in the world right now.

"If I get caught, Selphie," Squall's tone was low and tired, "They're gonna kill me."

_So, he _was _listening. _She thought.

"If you get caught, they're gonna accuse you of being my accomplice. Once they find out you're a SeeD, they'll kill you, too."

Standing up to meet him, she got the feeling that there was no turning back. Eating her words, he wasn't the only one with a change of heart. She had to give him her answer. "If you're still going, I am too."

An aggravated sigh escaped his lips, "You still have a chance. You can stay here, or go back to Winhill, or even Trabia. You can go _home_, Selphie."

"What home?" She spoke softly, "I don't have anywhere else to go."

"Don't get involved in this." He whispered, eyes deep into hers, "I can handle this on my own so as long as I know you're safe."

Their fingers loosely intertwined, "I can't do that, Squall."

"Why? Why do this then?"

Her forehead pressed his, closing her eyes, "No matter how I feel about this, I'm doing this for you because…"

Pressing a hand to her cheek, his calloused fingers brushed her skin. She could feel his breath grow ragged, like he was desperately trying to control himself.

"At the end of it all, no matter what side wins, I want us to be together when it all falls apart." She finished and felt his lips meet hers.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for the long wait! I was travelling over the past few weeks and finding reliable wifi on an island is harder than people think! Anyways, this chappie is a long one. A lot of stuff happens, so here's the recap:

Major moment here is when Squall finds out that he's a wanted criminal for something he didn't do. Rinoa's on a power trip right now, and on a massive hunt for SeeDs. I'm going to be posting more LIBERATION chapters soon, so we can find out how she began to hate SeeD so much and what her problem is.

Another moment, which is pretty vital to the series at this point is Squall's "transformation". I wanted to dive deeper into his character, see him in a new light. He may seem a bit out of character now, but that's because he thinks his father is dead, going through a major loss, doesn't know how to deal with it, and doing whatever he can to get to Ellone. He's desperate at this point. As the series as a whole progresses, his character goes through a lot of personal growth just like he did in the game, but in a more mature and relatable kind of way.

As for Selphie, she's usually so bright and optimistic. Bubbly and happy all the time. I try to write her that way like when they were on their date. At this point, I wanted to show a more competent and serious side to her. Like what she would have been after Trabia was hit, if she let people see her without a smile. It's also been two years since then, so she's starting to grow up. In some scenes I'll try to keep her in character as much as I can, if the situation calls for it.

Zell is kind of going through some stuff. If you've noticed, which was addressed in this chapter, he's having a hard time being away from his mother and resorting to alcohol. This will probably be touched upon more later on, and Selene will have a part in how that turns out.

WOW! That was long! Now you know why this was my favourite chapter. It kind of spins the story in a new direction that leads to some exciting stuff. Hopefully you're liking this as much as I am.

I'll update soon, please review as I answer them as best as I can!

Happy reading! :)


	22. Phase XXI: Memories Best Forgotten

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXI<strong>

**Memories Best Forgotten**

**Esthar Air Station/Passenger Drop Off **

**December 23****rd****, 2008 – 11 Months Ago **

**Time Unknown**

He felt a headache coming on, then static turning into a persistent ringing. When it dissipated, he could hear crewman shouting and airships landing and taking off. He found himself standing there, feeling proud and nervous at the same time. Hovering just a few feet off the ground, the landing gear of an airship touched down.

Laguna Loire tried to ignore the pain shooting up his leg while he waited for his arrival. He watched as the boarding ramp prepared to let passengers off. As they reunited with family, the crowd dispersed leaving him to locate Squall.

(_Wait…I _know_ this.)_

He offered a welcoming smile to the young man who stood with just a black duffel bag strapped across his body. Squall, his eighteen-year-old son, didn't look so pleased to see him.

"Hi, Squall!" He greeted with excitement. "How was the trip in?"

He shrugged, "Okay, I guess. You didn't need to send an airship to get me. I could've taken more conventional means of travel."

Laguna laughed, clapping him on the shoulder, "You know me, I travel in style. I'd like my kid to do the same."

Squall groaned. "Whatever. Can we go now?"

"I'm glad you came to visit for Christmas. Elle's gonna be so excited!" He led Squall to the hovercraft that awaited them to go to the Presidential Palace.

(_Sis? Sis! What're you doing!? Stop! I don't wanna see this!)_

(_I'm sorry, Squall. This is the only way…)_

The hum of the motor filled the awkward silence, and Laguna didn't know where to start or what to ask him. The last time they had spoken Laguna had called him into his office after the war and told Squall he was his father.

That didn't go down well at all.

When Garden disbanded a year ago, Squall chose to live with his friend's family instead of his own. That was a hard one to swallow, a punch to the gut, and he hadn't made the effort to call Laguna since.

Ellone had filled him in on other things going on in Squall's life such as his recent move to Dollet with Zell. For the life of him, Laguna couldn't remember which one he was and kept mistaking him for the cowboy.

"So," He started, but Squall didn't bother to remove his gaze from the window. "I heard you moved to Dollet recently. How'd ya like it?"

"It's fine."

Laguna should have expected this. The conversation seemed to start and end there, but he was determined to keep it going. Laguna scratched his head, "I remember stayin' there. It was really nice! Their tourism industry is huge, and the beaches are awesome!"

"Was this before or after you left my mother?" Squall grumbled.

Laguna shut up. His green eyes shifted to the road feeling guilt consume him again. It had been a while, and Laguna just wished that Squall could forgive him already. He should have anticipated this; it did take a lot of hoaxing from Ellone to even _get _him here in the first place.

But he was here, so that had to count for something, right?

* * *

><p>"Oh my gosh!" Ellone exclaimed, almost pouncing on him when he came through the door. Hanging from his shoulders, she laughed in delight, "It's so good to see you, Squall!"<p>

Squall allowed a shy smile, patting her back, "Same here."

She dragged her brother away, insisting on giving him a tour of the Palace and show him where he'd be sleeping. Laguna could hear her excited chatter all the way from down the hall, leaving him to just sigh in defeat.

Was he jealous of his adopted daughters relationship with his son? Sure, but she _was _there for him during his earliest years and taught him the basics of life. They had also spent most their lives apart as he went to Garden and she stowed away on a ship in the Centra coast. Ellone's powers had stolen a normal life from her, being the driving force that tore them apart. They were just kids at the time, they didn't understand it then. It was out of their control.

Wasn't leaving to save Ellone from Sorceress Adel's soldiers out of _his _control as well?

No, Squall didn't see it that way. Laguna could have come home with her after the war ended, but he chose to stay behind and become President of Esthar. In a time where his family needed him most, Laguna chose his duty before his loved ones.

That was his biggest regret that still haunted him since the day he found out his wife died.

"Ward says 'you need to give it time, man.'" Kiros translated when he strolled into his office.

Laguna shook his head, walking to his desk to try to get some work done. "A years not enough time? The kid still hates me."

"Just chill." Kiros reassured, "It's Christmas. Maybe this trip will be good for him."

"Christmas," Laguna snorted, "I don't even know if he_ believes_ in all that jazz. Hell, I don't even know if he believes in _anything!_"

Picking up a tablet next to him, he rifled through the file he needed to go over. Maybe some more work would do_ him _some good.

(_I…wasn't that difficult…was I?)_

* * *

><p>After Laguna finished his work later that night, he made his way towards Squall's suite. He knocked on the door, and was surprisingly granted access. The indicator light flashed green, and he stepped through the automatic door.<p>

Squall's private quarters looked straight out of a luxury home decor magazine. The kitchen had all stainless steel appliances, a fridge full of food, and a breakfast bar. In the living area, there was a large 60-inch flat screen TV on the opposite wall to the door and a set of leather couches. Squall was sitting on one of them watching some Estharian TV show he couldn't understand.

Laguna chuckled, catching his attention. Strolling over, he took a seat on the other couch next to him. "I never understood it either. It's not common to hear Estharian anymore; most people in politics speak English. Some districts still do though, but I try to stay away from there without a translator."

Squall scoffed, "You're their president. You're _supposed_ to know their culture."

"I do!" He exclaimed in his defense. "I'm just terrible at speakin' other languages. Do you know any?"

"Two." Squall replied, " Galbadia doesn't speak Latin anymore, but I still chose to learn it."

Laguna smiled, "I guess the one thing I'm thankful for is that you grew up with an education."

"Whatever." He brushed that off, getting straight to the point. "What do you want, anyway?"

Laguna had almost forgotten, "Uh…here."

Squall hesitated to take the small box from him, "What's this?"

"A Christmas gift." Laguna smiled. "Go on, open it!"

Squall's fingers peeled away at the silver wrapping and opened the black box underneath. In it was a chain, and it dangled from his hand shimmering in the light. It had an intricate crest with griever incorporated into it made of real silver.

"Another pendent?"

Laguna shook his head, "This one's special. It's for your gunblade. Estharian weapons fabricators have been tryin' to phase out sheaths for swords. Our men use these. Magic conceals the weapon, and it can be summoned on demand. How cool is that!?"

"...I heard about this somewhere."

Laguna nodded, happily, "Got this made special for ya. Yours has the Leonhart family crest on it. Raine showed it to me once, and I managed to snag a picture of it from her old belongings. Family was important to her."

Squall gave him a look, "And how about you? Is it important to you?"

"Now it is." He answered honestly.

Squall just frowned, "Giving me gifts wont change anything, Laguna. You can't buy my forgiveness even if it's sentimental. It doesn't work that way."

"It's a start." Laguna retorted.

Squall shook his head, and tossed the box with his gift to the side before padding towards his bedroom. "I'm gonna go to bed. See yourself out."

(_He wasn't there when I spent all those Christmases in my room alone or in the training centre. And _now_ he wanted to make it up to me?)_

_(It was too late.)_

* * *

><p><strong>December 24rd, 2008 – 11 Months Ago<strong>

Christmas eve was always something Raine enjoyed more than any other holiday of the year. She told Laguna stories of her childhood and that her parents got married on this day. In recent years, Christmas became more of a tradition for him to keep her spirit alive. He usually held extravagant balls for all his friends, but this year was different. Kiros and Ward chose to celebrate with their own families leaving Laguna to his.

A small get together at a posh restaurant in the city core was in order for their small family. They all seated at a small table finally together in one place. They drank the richest Galbadian wine and ate from the most expensive plates on the menu; each one cultivated and prepared like meticulous artwork. The establishment even had a tree decked out in Swarovski crystal.

Ellone had on a beautiful red evening gown with her shoulder length hair in loose ringlets. She sat next to him, chatting, laughing, and full of life. Squall had put on a pressed formal black button up shirt, white tie, and matching pants. He sat across Laguna mindlessly poking at his food with his usual frown.

"So, I said to her that the dress needed to be tailored some more. I'm really hoping that it'll be done in time for the new years celebration next week." Ellone continued on with her story, while Laguna nodded with a mouthful.

"Oh, Squall!" Ellone chirped, "You would love the fireworks! It's right over the Palace. You used to _love _fireworks, remember!?"

(_I found it odd that I was sitting there with my family like none of it ever happened.)_

"Yeah…" he muttered, continuing to eat.

"Squall," Laguna spoke to him, "Elle tells me you got caught playin' with fireworks as kids. I bet the Kramers were pissed!"

"Oh, _so _mad!" She emphasized, laughing. "Looking back it was probably not such a good idea. We set off three before they came running out screaming!"

(_I hated the fact that we were telling _him_ our childhood stories, when fathers are supposed to be telling _us_. That should have been him, not Matron and Cid._)

Laguna chuckled, but noticed his son hadn't said anything. Squall pushed himself away from his half eaten meal and asked, "Can I be excused?"

"Uh…sure." Laguna permitted, "You not feelin' well, kid?"

Squall shrugged, but didn't dignify him with an answer. He walked past tables of other patrons towards the exit, and Ellone looked concerned.

Laguna stood, but before he could follow him, she squeezed his forearm. "Squall's having a hard time adjusting to us."

He shook his head, fed up with Squall's attitude. He couldn't understand him as much as he tried. Squall was Raine's son, too, but even she hadn't been this difficult. If Squall had taken after his mother at all, he knew that Squall was both proud and stubborn. The only two things he was prepared for as he strode after him.

Squall was sitting on the curb when he found him. He was tense, rubbing his hands against his face. Clearly, he was stressed out.

"You okay?" Laguna asked him.

"What do you want?"

The older man sighed, "I'm tryin' to figure you out, but you wont throw me a bone."

"Look," Squall growled, standing up to him. "I'm not interested in Christmas, presents, fireworks or family gatherings, okay? I've been fine without them up until now." He turned, walking away from Laguna now.

"How many times do I have to apologize to you before you forgive me!?" He called after him.

Squall stopped for a moment before turning on his father, disgust contorted his face. "You think _all this _is gonna remedy our situation!? Laguna, _nothing will! _Nothing will erase what's been done! I didn't have a father all my life, and I don't _need_ one now!"

That hurt. His words dug deep under Laguna's skin.

"Squall," Laguna found himself begging now, "Don't push me away! I'm tryin' to mend things _now! _For this to work we need to-"

His son's anger grew, unable to take this anymore. The amount of hate Laguna saw in his eyes made him want to back off, cower away, and admit defeat. But he couldn't do that, not now, _not ever_. He couldn't give up on him, he promised Raine that.

What came out from Squall's mouth begged to differ though and hurt more than anything else.

"Fuck you, I don't need you! I never have. I've been fine all these years on my own!" With that, Squall finally stormed off leaving Laguna to mentally process what just happened.

Laguna, hurt and distraught, closed his eyes standing as still as he could. He prayed to Raine like he often did, unsure of what he was doing wrong.

Maybe a whole bottle of Deling wine was in order tonight.

What completely broke his heart was the look in Ellone's eyes the next morning when she came to him with a note. Scribbled in Squall's all caps handwriting and tears in her eyes.

"Merry Christmas. – Squall."

Squall's quarters were empty, and his key was left with the concierge's desk. According to them, he'd checked out of his suite in the middle of the night to catch the next flight to Dollet.

Usually people were hopeful about the New Year. They created lists of resolutions to make this year better than the last, but Laguna wasn't so sure. This next year was probably going to suck more than the last eighteen. His son was out there hating his guts, and the guilt had never felt heavier.

(…_Shit__. Was I that horrible? He…he didn't deserve that.)_

_(Squall, I'm disconnecting now. I'm sorry I had to do this. Again, there was no other way.)_

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar City Underground Bomb Shelter**

**November 13th, 2009**

**0345 Hrs ET**

Ellone felt a headache come on stronger than the last. Sitting up on the makeshift bed, she was alone in a small cubicle that served as her room the past week. The job Quistis had issued her had been to assist the medical staff. Everyday for over twelve hours a shift, she would help Rayen and other doctors tend to the wounded.

Her days always ended the same, and she'd come back here to the privacy of her cubical trying not to break down. The good thing about having a job was it offered distraction, but when she was alone the anxiety grew worse. More and more, she began to practice her powers again, trying desperately to connect with Squall.

Every night for seven days she tried, but couldn't get him to see the memory she was trying to send.

Until tonight.

She knew it was wrong, he was probably still mourning, too, but Ellone didn't know what else to do. Tonight he latched onto the memory, and she figured he was asleep as it was easier for her to 'plant it' as a dream.

The white curtain of her cubicle tugged to the side, and Rayen stepped in looking just as exhausted. He had been working round the clock in longer shifts than her.

"You look beat." She commented, feeling the cot sink under his weight.

He scoffed, "Speak for yourself."

Ellone winced from the quick turn of her head. She hoped he didn't see it, not wanting to answer any difficult questions.

Rayen noticed without a doubt, he always noticed the smallest twitches and movements. She had to always remind herself that he was once as SeeD, too, he had been trained to read people.

"You don't look so good." He spoke. "You okay?"

Ellone faked a smile, "I'm just really tired is all. Don't worry about me."

He could also tell when someone was lying.

"What is it? A migraine? A cold?"

She paused, but figured telling him wouldn't be so bad, "Headache."

Rayen dug into his satchel, taking out a small bottle of ibuprofen and handing it to her, "Here. It's not much since we need to preserve the good stuff for patients, but I managed to score some of this. Take two with water and something in your stomach."

"Thanks." She watched him get up from the cot. "What brought you here tonight?"

"Just checking in." He said, "I know you've been working a lot. It's a great distraction, but how are you doing?"

"I'm fine…" Ellone replied, "I'm just mourning is all. Laguna was like a father to me."

"Does your brother know?"

Ellone shrugged, "Quistis says he does. I hope he's fine."

"You said he was a SeeD, right? I'm sure he's okay." Rayen stifled a yawn making his way to the curtain. "Anyways, I'm hitting the sack. See you bright and early, Elle."

She waved him off and felt blessed to have a guy like him around. They had been spending a lot of time together, and he seemed nice enough. This wasn't the first time he would 'check in' on her between shifts. She could tell by the way his dark eyes caught hers that he had been concerned about her. For the first time, someone _actually_ cared for her and treated her like a normal person.

Guilt struck Ellone like it had many times before because Rayen had no idea what she was capable of. It was still too dangerous.

Maybe one day she'd tell him.

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonOld Train Station**

**November 13th, 2009**

**0102 Hr**

The static dissipated again, and he lay in a cold sweat with a thundering heart in his chest. His throat felt tight, making swallowing the pain down difficult. It felt like something was taking hold of his airways as he struggled to stay calm. His eyes, cheeks, and the mattress under his head were wet. He must have been crying in his sleep. Squall was just thankful nobody else was around.

There was an aching nausea in his gut threatening to unleash itself from his lips, but he kept it down. His body wasn't used to being sent back into his father's past like it used to. It came at him with a jolt of the unexpected. Squall worked through careful breaths, shutting his eyes tightly to gather his senses.

_Sis is alive. She must have been trying to get in contact with me. _

The body next to him shifted, drawing him from his trance. He rolled to his side to find Selphie sleeping soundlessly. She was at peace; a smile naturally tugged the corner of her lips. Her body heat invited him closer, and Squall slid his arm around her waist. She didn't stir, but somehow knew to draw closer to him until they pressed together.

Another sleepless night.

Squall needed to get himself together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Why hello readers!

We went back in time in this one, and Laguna got his spotlight even though he didn't have such a good christmas (poor guy...)

There was a quote somewhere at the beginning of the story that was floating around now and then. It was referring to this chapter in particular. Squall and Laguna don't have a good relationship, which is one of the reasons Squall is struggling so much right now.

As for Ellone and Rayen, seems like something could be happening there. Finally the girl's finding some love in her life, she freaking deserves it! But will Squall be the protective brother? That's a sight to see!

A BIG thing I tried to achieve in this chapter is Laguna living with a mistake he made a long time ago. You know what that is! He didn't go back to Raine when she needed him most. He put duty before his loved ones, which he had to live with. Duty before love is also a theme in this story, especially with Squall and Selphie as their already struggling with this. The rest of the series has this popping up every now and then, too, with different characters and situations.

Anyway thanks to the reviewers and my beta reader! Here's some shout outs:

rebirth-flame: Thanks for the awesome review! I'm so flattered someones been around since the original story I posted in 2009 when all this started. We hope to see Squall overcoming his fears soon, but he's got a long way to go.

Polymer1: Thanks for all the hard work you have done so far as a beta reader! You also got me obsessed with the Hemingway app, which has done a stellar job for me. Keep up the great work, you're awesome!

Phoenixx Rising: You're support and frequent reviews make me so motivated to keep going! I'm so glad you're invested into this story and enjoying it!

I'm gonna start doing shout outs possibly every few chapters, and a huge one at the end of the story. I absolutely love hearing from you guys and reply back as soon as I can. You all make it so worth it to write this, and I'll keep going until the end!

Thank you and happy reading!


	23. Phase XXII: Signal Fire

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXII<strong>

**Signal Fire **

**Fisherman's Horizon/Old Train Station**

**November 13****th****, 2009. 0732 hrs**

"Wake up…" a soothing voice spoke into his ear. "It's time to get up."

Their breath seductively brushed against his neck, arousing him in his sleep. The air around him was hot, mixed with the stuffy morning climate and the warmth of his makeshift bed. He couldn't move as he became aware of the weight sitting on his belly.

"Good morning…sleepyhead…"

The weight didn't help the hunger pains jabbing at his stomach either. Squall curiously sniffed at the delightful smell of breakfast.

"I have coffee…" she giggled, and then he heard the crinkle of a paper bag, "And food…I hope you like pastries."

He was still so tired having only slept for two hours this time. He blinked, eyes adjusting to the sun shining through the window. Selphie's lips welcomed him. When he realized what was going on, he became alarmed by their intimate position. It wasn't everyday he woke up to a beautiful girl straddling him to his bed.

He wished he were more _prepared_ for this.

"Oh!" Selphie chirped, "The Ice Prince is awake! Let's go!"

Bouncing off him applied a sudden force down onto his gut, which made Squall grunt in reply.

She held his breakfast in her hands and smiled when he finally sat up on the bed. "C'mon! Get dressed! We don't have much time!"

"Wha-!" His grey t-shirt flung into the side of his head before he could finish what he was going to say. Squall grumbled, yanking it off to find Selphie jumping around on a sugar high. She must have had her fix earlier this morning.

"Aiden and James are waitin' for us! They're takin' us to Esthar!"

"Now?" he croaked. She nodded shoving a paper cup and his breakfast in a greasy white bag in his face.

"Quickly! Eat and drink!" Selphie demanded, and Squall took the items before he could even get his shirt back on.

* * *

><p>The two came up to the dirty white truck parked on the side of the road. James stood with his arms crossed overlooking the work of the SeeDs hauling sheet metal into it. There were wooden crates filled with other equipment already sitting on the truck's bed.<p>

"Good mornin'!" James called to them, "Ready to take a ride?"

"What's all this?" Squall asked, surveying everything.

Aiden jumped off the back of the truck, his combat boots forming a dusty cloud upon contact. He was clad in a blue workers pullover, a black toque, and beat up jeans. "It's our cover. You're gonna go in one of 'em crates along with all this shit. The more we to haul to Esthar, the less likely border patrol will search us."

"So…" Selphie spoke, "When do we leave?"

"Wheneva ya pick yer crate." James replied, readying himself for the eighteen-hour drive to the eastern continent.

Aiden pointed to an open one nearby, "That's the one. Squall betta go in first since he's bigger. Selphie, you might have to sit on his lap. Won't be comfortable, but it does the job."

Selphie turned to Squall, who just shrugged. They made their way to the crate that was already loaded up with some other cargo.

Squall climbed in first, then picked Selphie up and helped her in as well. Positioning themselves and trying to get comfortable, Selphie sat on his crossed legs.

A few other SeeDs placed the lid of the wooden crate on top, leaving them in the darkness save for a few cracks of light. Above their heads, Aiden nailed the lid to the box and jumped off the truck again. The large tarp flopped over the cargo being held in place by bungee cords that stretched across width of the truck.

"Let's get goin'!" James shouted and then directed an order to the rest of his men. "We'll be back in two days. Hold down the fort while we're gone, yeah?"

With all cargo in place, Squall and Selphie hidden in a box, the truck rumbled to life. Squall felt it jolt forward and put into drive, en route to their destination.

He could feel Selphie's back pressed against him, hear her steady breath, and held onto her. In a time like this, he was glad he agreed to let her come along.

"You okay?" She whispered, knowing they had about a half hour before they got to the border.

"Yeah, you?" Squall breathed.

Selphie stayed silent, but even in the dark he could tell she was getting nervous. Squeezing her shoulder, he knew how she felt about their situation, _about him, _and what could happen if this went south_._

But there was no going back.

"We got this. We'll make it."

She hoped he was right.

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CityPresidential Palace Ruins**

**1223 hrs ET**

They called this place the city of glass.

Seifer Almasy had been here only once before under the command of his sorceress. Funny enough, that was the same reason why he was standing here now. His men had fired the missiles that hit the Palace, and now they needed to make sure Loire was dead.

The blond yawned, the place was just a pile of rubble now, and as far as he knew, Trepe's men hadn't found their president yet.

Good. They were pressing onto other matters. Rinoa, who had the luxury of being back home, had given him the order to kill any SeeD on sight, which was fine by him.

He'd decapitate as many as he could just to bring them back to Galbadia as an example of divergence of her new rule.

He heard the stampede of boots hitting the glass they stood on coming towards him. Shouts and profanities exchanged between a soldier and the man they were dragging. Seifer's green eyes brightened to the sight. "What's this?"

"A SeeD, sir." One black clad soldier said.

He raised a brow with interest, resting the Hyperion on his shoulder. It glinted in the mid day sunlight.

"I'm not a SeeD! I keep telling you assholes-"

"Lift his shirt." Seifer clipped, but the soldier hesitated.

This pissed Seifer off. Who the hell decided to _hire_ this guy? He ought to kill him, too. Right after this good for nothing _SeeD filth_. The SeeD had on civilian clothing, not the traditional Esthari robes or his black and gold uniform.

It wasn't the uniform that identified SeeDs now, but a tattoo of the SeeD crest did. Seifer knew enough of them that got one as a statement of their permanent allegiance. Men usually had theirs on their backs or arms. If they wanted to be _really _discreet, it was on their stomachs.

He knew where Leonhart kept _his_ for instance-left side on his rib cage. Seifer dared him do it when they were just cadets. Leonhart chose the spot because it was said to be the most painful and to show Seifer he had grown a set big enough to do it. After graduation and his promotion, Leonhart wore it with arrogant pride.

These idiots were all so _goddamn proud_; they'd still die a SeeD to this day despite what happened to their precious Gardens. SeeDs would always be SeeDs, and Seifer would never be one of them. That was okay because he was better, no, _stronger_ than they were. He was the rightful knight to the woman he loved and served, and he swore an oath to protect her.

"I wanna see where he hides his pride." Seifer smirked at the man who glared hatred back at him. The soldiers undressed him, stripping the man of his dignity. His clothing was left in a shredded pile at his feet, and now he only wore a pair of blue shorts.

This one was ballsy to say the least. The tattoo was constructed with heavy outlines and light blue accents. Balamb. He was once under Leonhart's command. This made things a lot better for Seifer, more amusing.

"You got balls." Seifer laughed, "Over the heart. You love SeeD that much that you tattooed your heart. That's_ touching."_

"Fuck you!" the SeeD spat.

Seifer didn't hesitate to make those his last words. He slashed his blade so fast, the SeeD couldn't pinpoint his last second of life. Blood coated itself all over their uniforms and onto the glass surface under their feet. Seifer stood straight, turning his heel to walk away. "Burn his body. Make the flame a signal to all SeeDs that they'll be next! We won't stop until every single one is dead."

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonEast Border Checkpoint**

**0807 hrs**

Aiden pulled the truck up to a booth that housed a few galbadian soldiers. The sun was blinding, so he slipped a pair of aviators on before stepping out of the car with his paperwork. There was a small line up of other men trying to do the same thing. Exceptions for passing the border were few and far between. Delivering registered exports, such as glass or sheet metal, granted him that permission.

"License and registration." The galbadian spoke through his helmet, and Aiden casually handed him the paperwork. Watching him scan through the documents, Aiden hid a smirk. Little did this jackass know, he knew the best forger in Timber before the city was cleaned out. It paid to make friends once in a while, people in high places so to speak.

"Where to?"

"Esthar Distribution Plant." Aiden drawled out in his northern galbadian accent.

"Business or pleasure?"

Now that was a stupid question, wasn't it? Who in their right mind would go east for some fun in _Esthar_ after it was blown apart?

If it were up to him, he'd be on a beach somewhere screwing a nice looking broad while drinking Pina Coladas in a tiki hut. But of course he had to keep his sarcasm under wraps if he was going to get his Commander to Esthar.

"Business."

"What're ya transportin'?"

"Sheet metal and scraps." Aiden replied, but noticed the soldier eyeing the truck behind him.

"Who's that?"

"My business partner."

The soldier scrutinized James, who humorously waved back at him. Aiden rolled his eyes as the man walked past him to examine the truck.

"Take the tarp off." The soldier demanded.

James jumped out, "Pardon me? Ya gonna need a warrant for that."

A click of a gun indicated that the soldier didn't go far without a weapon. It was pointed right at James' stomach ready to fire if he made the wrong move. James' swore under his breath with arms raised where the man could see them.

Both SeeDs unhooked the bungee cords, pulling the tarp off to reveal the crates.

Selphie could hear the soldier's boots trudge against the sand walking around the vehicle. Things shifted around in the front seat as if he were searching for something.

She gasped quietly, but Squall clamped a clammy hand over her mouth pulling her to him. He dared to peer out of a small crack next to him to get a better view. His ears did most the work and perked up to any sudden sounds or movements.

"How many crates?" he heard the unmistakable accent of the galbadian soldier say.

"Five." Aiden replied, "All have scraps and machines in 'em."

"Open one." The soldier replied. There was silence for a few moments, and then he spoke again more firmly than before, "I _said_ open one!"

The weight of the bed drastically shifted, and two sets of footsteps shuffled onto the floor near Squall. Aiden was prying a crate open with a crowbar, reluctantly doing what he was told.

Selphie's body was still, her back pressing against his chest. Her breath shallow and quick, his embrace got tighter. He felt like if he let go, she'd move and blow their cover.

He found himself praying for once.

"See?" Aiden spoke after a while. "Just a whack load'a shit."

"Fine then. Come with me." The bed floor shifted again indicating that they had jumped off the back of the truck. Squall tightly shut his eyes, the tarp flapping over their heads sounded like heaven now. Aiden and James' muffled voices confirmed something was happening, an exchange concluding.

After a few beats, he could hear the screeching of the rusted gate scrape against the ground ahead of them. Again, the vehicle rumbled to life before continuing down the sandy dirt road.

Once it was clear that they made it passed the border, Squall felt Selphie's lips press against his. A silent gesture of triumph.

They may have made it through, but it was still a long way to Esthar.

_Sis, I'm coming._

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CityUnderground Evacuation Centre**

**1727 hrs ET**

"Zir!"

The sound of an Estharian soldier scampering into her office drew her away from her damage report. He looked spooked with pale skin and a sweaty brow, like a he'd seen a ghost.

What could have brought a stoic, well behaved soldier into her office in this condition? Concern built up inside her, coming to stand behind her desk with wide eyes.

"What happened!?" She shouted. Others tumbled into the room looking just as distraught.

"Y-you have to zee this, zir!" He exclaimed in his Esthari accent. "Outzide. Z-ze Palace iz on fire!"

"What!?" Quistis rushed past all four men, making her way down the hall to the bomb shelter exit. The heavy steel door slid open, and soldiers and SeeD alike stood and watched. The palace looked like a large bonfire, black smoke polluting the air and filling the sky.

The smell of burning flesh was thick enough to make her stomach churn and want to vomit. Quistis covered her nose with the crook of her elbow, coughing. Some of the others did the same, but her blue eyes focused on the flame. It was a several stories high now, situated right in the centre of the city.

How this fire started was beyond her, but she felt like someone was trying to tell her something. This fire was too controlled to be a fluke or a result of the attack.

It was a signal.

Promptly, Quistis turned to the nearest high-ranking officer. "Gather up as many men as you can and divide in squads of seven. The enemy is in the city. I want all exits blocked off preventing anyone from coming in or out. Arrest anyone who looks suspicious, and bring them in for questioning. If you see Galbadians, shoot to kill!"

A group of them saluted, and Quistis stormed off again. She didn't know how much more she could take.

The enemy was here, and she needed to do something about it.

* * *

><p><strong>Deling City GalbadiaCaraway Suites**

**1305 hrs**

"Rinoa!"

The black haired woman turned to see Watts rush into her bedroom. Rinoa smiled, welcoming him like a friend she hadn't seen in a while. In truth, she'd been too busy with meetings and conferences to catch up with him.

Despite working for her, Watts also did some work with the Underground Association. He had grown up a rebel fighter and couldn't leave that life behind.

That wasn't such a terrible thing though because it served as an advantage for her.

"Did you find anything out?" She asked him, knowing he'd been frequenting the outskirts of town lately where all the UA agents seemed to inhabit.

He quickly pulled out a file, dropping it onto the nearby table. She sat down slowly, brown eyes never leaving his. "That other guy? It was him."

Rinoa flipped it open and the first thing she saw was a profile of a man she knew better than anyone else. A few years back he had come to Timber looking for work, a drifter at the time. When he joined the Forest Owls, he'd turned out to be such a valuable asset in uncovering government information. Shortly after, Cesar had recruited him to Deling City where Skyros Angelus quickly became a legend amongst the underground factions.

Rinoa had seen the images before, the one that confirmed that Squall was involved in this. His accomplice was harder to identify, so a background check and extensive referencing was required.

"Skyros Angelus." She finally said. It put a name to the face of the man she previously dismissed when the SeeD hunt started. "How the _hell_ is Squall working with him? How do they even _know _each other?"

"Maybe he recruited him, too." Watts replied, "I mean, didn't he try to do that to you when he went to Balamb?"

That was a few years ago. She had gotten a hand written letter from Angelus who _was _trying to get her to join the Underground Association.

Rinoa glanced at Watts, "The UA's actually _recruiting_ SeeDs."

In Timber, the resistance groups had a few SeeDs fighting on their side, and Zone was reporting back to her on their activity. Those SeeDs weren't even part of the UA, they just fought for the sake of fighting.

If the UA wanted _hire_ SeeDs to strengthen their forces, recruiting Squall Leonhart was a smart fucking idea.

She was afraid this would happen. Not only did SeeD want her dead, the Underground Association's involvement would complicate things further. If the two joined forces, who knows what they would be capable of?

"And if they do that, that's trouble for us, right?"

Rinoa stood up, closing the folder, and leaving it aside. "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything."

"Finish the job Zone started."

"And you?" He asked her back.

Rinoa paused, "I need to talk to Seifer."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Wow! We literally went all over the map on this one! Lots of story arcs here. Squall and Selphie sneak past the Galbadian patrolled border in a crate!? Actually, the first two scenes in this chapter happen to be two of my favourites in the story. I also have a soft spot for Aiden! I don't know why.

Seifer and Rinoa are back! Seifer's a bit of a dick here, but I do like writing him! Rinoa's in for some trouble, and now Watts is finishing the job. This last scene I kind of just mustered up to finish this chapter off. Rinoa also hasn't had any showtime in a while. It also plays into some events that could happen in the next few chapters.

I intend on writing LIBERATION. It will explain things a bit more. You also get a small brief of the story "Life In Plain Sight" which is going to be Angelus' prequel to the FF8 universe, how he knows Rinoa, and how he becomes what he is now.

Quistis also doesn't realize how her actions have consequences.

Some people are sad about Laguna, but we would have to see what happens when Squall gets to Esthar.

I appreciate all the awesome reviews I'm getting on this story. As weird as it sounds, I reread them a few times over to keep me motivated to finish this! So thank you so much!

I reply back to all signed reviews!

Again, happy reading and review!


	24. Phase XXIII: Road to Retribution

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXIII<strong>

**Road to Retribution **

**Five Miles from Esthar City/Great Salt Lake**

**November 14th, 2009.**

**0835 hrs ET**

Cr…ack…Crack….Crack! CRACK!

The sound of the lid of the crate being pried open above his head drew Squall from his restless sleep. Blinking through the sand in his eyes, Squall's legs felt weak and pain throbbed in his knees. Selphie leaned away from him, yawning loudly and stretched. Cool air wafted into the crate, brushing against their limbs, soothing their sore muscles.

They took their time to arrange themselves before getting out of the box. After Selphie hopped out, Squall used the crate as a crutch to hoist himself onto the truck's bed. The first thing he noticed was the smell of salt in the chilly air with the overpowering notes of burnt ember.

They parked a mile away from the Great Salt Lake, a wasteland patch covered in a thick layer of salt and snow. The scenery was breathtaking, surrounded by mountain ranges of sharp cliffs and ice.

They definitely weren't in Galbadia anymore.

"Good mornin'." James greeted, pulling the tarp off the cargo. "Welcome ta Esthar."

Selphie got off the truck first, surveying the area around them. The first thing she noticed was the odd colour of the sky and the dusty presence of ash. Her features twisted into genuine concern, and Squall took notice. He could feel something was wrong in the air as well, but chose to address the SeeDs first.

"How far is Esthar from here?" He asked the Galbadian who looked both bored and exhausted from the journey.

Aiden pointed south, "Jus five miles. Should take a few hours by foot. I'd steer clear from open roads now. Ya'll know yer close when ya see the city."

"But they have the HEX shield, don't they?" Selphie asked.

"From a blast like that, I doubt that did much." Aiden replied, then looked towards his leader, "We better get goin'. The other's are holdin' down the fort."

James nodded, "Ya betta get to it then, Commanda. If yer right 'bout Galbadia comin' after FH, our men'll need us."

"We'll try to grab some more help when we get to Esthar." Squall informed him, "You guys take care of yourselves."

"Always do." Aiden saluted and then grinned at Selphie, "When ya get tired of his ass, lemme know."

Selphie blushed, and Squall just glared at him. When the two got in the truck, it rumbled to life again ready for another 18 hour drive back to FH.

Aiden waved his hand from the window, and James just offered a sloppy salute. "Take care! Hope 'ta see ya'll alive again!"

"Bye!" Selphie called after them watching the truck drive away leaving the two of them alone.

"We better get going." Squall told her.

"Squall," Selphie spoke, "This ash and the clouds overhead…Esthar's-"

"I know." He replied, "I wont like what I'll see when we get there."

**Deling City, Galbadia/Galbadia Hotel**

**0153 hrs**

Cesar Lamont strolled into the bar area of the Galbadian Hotel, searching the room for the man he had to meet. A blond grey head sat closer to the back of the room in a booth, a lone figure sipping a glass of scotch. He approached him, helping himself to the seat across the table.

Cesar's dark eyes looked him over. Age hadn't been good to him. Lines defined his eyes and mouth more than they did the last time they met. His hairline was receding, and he was more grey than blond.

"Been a while, Martine." He started.

Martine eyed the room, uncomfortable about meeting out in the open like this. He didn't need to be. Nobody knew who Cesar was, they may have _heard_ of him, but they had no face to his name.

Cesar worked in this business for over thirty years and for twenty he spent on the battlefield. The two had history going back to their days serving the Galbadian army. They also had different views. Whereas Martine became Headmaster of Galbadia Garden, Cesar became a rebel fighter in Timber. Two men who fought in the same squadron ended up on different sides of the pendulum. Martine had a bit of rebel in him though, having secret ties with the UA here in Deling City.

Who do you think told him about Sorceress Edea becoming the Galbadian Ambassador?

"Two years, is it?" Martine replied, still restless.

Cesar smirked, "Relax, nobody knows who I am, friend."

Martine pulled out a file from his coat, "Here it is."

Cesar took it, rifling through the contents of the folder. Another profile. He'd seen quite a few lately, but this one was good. _Too_ good.

"Weapon a' choice?"

Martine took a sip of his scotch, "Exeter. With a few modifications since I last checked."

"A sharpshooter?" Cesar asked, "This the same guy ya used to shoot Edea?"

"Yes."

"Didn't he miss?' Cesar smirked, "Why would I wanna guy who misses his shots?"

"Because he was hired by Loire himself to take out another sorceress." Martine told him, "He won. Kramer promoted him to SeeD without proper examination. Kinneas proved himself worthy."

"A SeeD, eh?"

Martine nodded, "He's was also one of Leonhart's guys."

Cesar closed the folder, "Where'd I find him?"

* * *

><p>The faded sound of bad country music helped him concentrate better with what he was doing. The alcohol he'd consumed earlier drowned out any fleeting thoughts he had at the moment. The feeling of her body pressing his invited him to further explore her curves and clevises.<p>

She kissed him playfully, taunting his senses, curiosity killing the cat. He treated exchanges like this as an art. Each woman being her own canvas, having her own details, her own deviants.

Her long fake nails scratched at his scalp and the base of his neck, tipping his cowboy hat in the process.

He almost didn't hear the song end, and when it did, the girl pulled away. He pulled her back, "One more song?"

She prepared herself to look more presentable as she had to get back to work. She was up next to preform. "You already did five, honey, it's time to share."

"What if I don't wanna share?" She gave him a look, and he handed her the money. The woman kissed him one last time before exiting the booth leaving Irvine Kinneas to do up his pants.

As he did so, something jerked him backwards against the seat, gagging him and cutting off his air. Irvine struggled, twisting his body while making hacking noises. He kicked at the small table in front of him, sending half empty drinks flying off it. His hands gripped onto the garrote in an attempt to loosen it. His right fist shot up above his head, his hat falling off onto the seat next to him, and hit something hard. Irvine heard a grunt and a struggle behind him, and their grip weakened and let him go.

Irvine gasped for air, spinning his body around to retrieved his gun. He furiously scanned the area for whoever tried to pull that trick on him.

Whoever it was wanted him dead.

"C'mon out, asshole!" He shouted, pointing his gun at the curtain behind the seat. He waited, and then nothing.

Irvine thrashed the curtain aside striding into the sleazy bar. The girl he was just with was starting her dance on the stage, but the few patrons who where there stared at him.

He took note of them, most being old and fat and drunk. Irvine also knew all the girls here, and they wouldn't hurt a paying customer. Just as Irvine's indigo eyes turned towards the male bartender, he saw someone slip out. They slide behind the bar, bolting into the kitchen.

Irvine darted after him, jumping over the bar and shattered glass to the floor. People started shouting behind him, but he only cared about one thing.

Beating the shit out of this jackass.

The cooks started yelling at him as he slide through the narrow passage between the fryers and stoves. He pushed passed men dressed in chef whites, knocking plates and cutlery everywhere.

The guy slammed into the back door leading into the alleyway behind the strip club. Irvine closely followed behind, and when he got outside, he saw him cut around a corner.

As Irvine went after him he heard a loud gunshot go off hitting a dumpster next to him.

The guy was armed.

He shot off a few bullets himself in the general direction of the dark clad male. The end of the next alleyway had a fence blocking it off from another. Irvine watched as the man quickly scaled up a dumpster and over the high fence. As he got to the top, Irvine took another shot, getting a direct hit to the man's shoulder.

He fell eight feet to the ground, totally stunned. Irvine landed on his feet next to him, roughly grabbing him by his leather jacket to rip his hat off his head. He had a pained expression, blood smeared on the side of his temple.

Irvine's eyes widened, "Watts!?"

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CityNorthern Border**

** 1252 hrs**

He'd been right. What lay before him was once a glorious city reduced to ash. In the skyline, the presence of the Presidential Palace was missing. A large pillar of black and grey smoke raising into the dark sky replaced it. The climate was also chilly and wet, adding to the unsettling feeling in Squall's body.

He stood still trying to keep himself together as this sight acted as a confirmation of all his fears. His denial subsided quickly.

This was _real_.

Selphie's slender fingers brushed against his fingertips gripping onto his hand. Squall squeezed back, reassuring her that he hadn't completely succumbed to his thoughts. His eyes never left the centre of the skyline, never left the place where he father was supposed to be.

He formulated a mental checklist. He needed to find Ellone first. Find Quistis. Gather as many SeeD he could and bring them to FH. SeeD needed to bring down another Sorceress.

He needed to take down Rinoa.

Despite lack of food and proper rest, Squall needed to keep himself together. Everything weighed on him now. He needed to get through the war. He needed to get revenge.

"Squall…" Selphie's soft voice drew him out of his thoughts before he could sink deeper into his mind. "Are you ready?"

He nodded, but didn't say anything strolling into the large city. It only took fifteen minutes until they were surrounded by debris and broken glass. Beams bent at odd angles and slabs of cement that held up the skyscrapers crumbled to the ground.

Selphie knitted her brows when she saw an arm laying nearby surrounded by blood. Unlike Timber, Esthar hadn't cleaned up quite as well after the attack. Selphie emphasized with the people who lost their homes and families. She remembered what happened to Trabia two years ago, and it was Squall who took her to her home to survey the damage. This time the tables turned, and this time she had come to support him with_ his_ loss.

"Where do you think Ellone could be?" She asked him.

"I wanna go to the Palace." Squall's voice was careful and even, disregarding her question.

"Squall-" A hissing sound interrupted Selphie, her body became alert.

Squall, equally alarmed, drew his weapon into existence from its magical sheath. Selphie did the same shortly after, ready for a fight. The two scanned their surroundings, knowing now that they weren't alone.

The shuffling of boots against gravel announced the arrival of their enemy. A seven men squadron emerged from the rubble all wearing Esthari blue. Unlike Galbadian standard rifles and machine guns, they equipped themselves with plasma firearms instead. Red beams pointed at Squall's body, particularly his vitals. One wrong move and the lasers of their firearms could melt into their skin killing them instantly.

"Vho are you!?" A thick Esthari accent shouted at them. The commanding officer had a slightly different uniform on, having more white than blue.

"What's it to you?" Selphie snapped, and Squall growled.

"Put your veaponz down, and ve vont kill you!" He assured them, but neither hesitated. Somewhere off to the right, one of his men pulled their trigger shooting just next to Selphie's boot. She still didn't budge, but got the message loud and clear that they meant business.

Their squad leader chuckled, "Zee? Ve don't fuck around!"

"I'm Squall Leonhart. This is Selphie Tilmitt. We wish to speak with your commander." Squall told them, gesturing towards Selphie's shorter frame.

The men exchanged glances, but still kept their aim. The leader stepped forward, pointing his right in Squall's face,

"Drop your weaponz now!"

Squall hesitated for a moment before crouching down to lay Lionheart at his feet. As he stood, he could see the questioning stare Selphie was giving him. He flashed her look of warning to do the same. Selphie sighed, reluctantly laying the Strange Vision right next to Lionheart.

"Handz on your head!"

They both pressed their palms behind their heads and waited. Selphie's heart pounded in her chest, but breathed steady and deep.

"Arrezt zem." He ordered his men, and they lowered their weapons to grab the two SeeDs.

"What!?" Selphie's jaw dropped, feeling three sets of hands latch onto her body. Squall shoved and struggled with the Estharians trying to grab for his wrists.

"Don't touch me!" She protested when she felt one pinch and caress her ass. Out of reflex, her elbow collided with his face while the two others attempted to restrain her.

Selphie's shriek made Squall's head jerk towards where she stood. One of the Estharians had roughly slapped her in return for failing to cooperate with him.

"Don't fuckin' touch her!" Squall exploded, fighting against his own human restraints.

As for Selphie, she panted and stopped squirming. They were able to move her arms behind her back to bind her wrists together with a locking device.

"Selphie!" He shouted for her, but she didn't lift her head. _I swear to Hyne, if they hurt her...!_

He skimmed some more, pushing his way in his desired direction to get to Selphie. A hand grabbed onto the back of his neck, forcing his body backwards. Squall fell into a soldier behind him who promptly shoved him to the ground. His face pressed against rubble and glass shards that dug into his cheek. Squall tried to kick his legs, but they securely held them down.

Squall couldn't see Selphie anymore. All he could see was the blue and white of their Estharian uniforms surrounding him. With a sharp hiss into his right ear, Squall felt something painful lodge into the side of his neck. It pulsated up to his jaw, making his face tingle.

Within moments, his limbs started slowing down, and he didn't fight the soldiers anymore. His thoughts started skipping, and the ground never felt so comfortable.

The colours blurred together until they darkened and went black. Squall unwillingly succumbed to darkness with little resistance left to stay awake. The last coherent thought that ran through his mind was a promise he was sure to keep.

_You'll survive this war, Selphie, I'll make sure of that._

* * *

><p>A clapping sound echoed throughout the alleyway drawing Irvine from his shocking discovery. The cowboy looked up to find a middle aged man standing a couple feet away dressed in civilian clothing.<p>

He kept a good grasp, making sure to handle Watts by the neck for good measure while pointing his gun at the newcomer. The older man wasn't the least bit threatened by his gun, walking towards him with a mocking smirk.

"Ye Kinneas?"

"Depends who's askin." Irvine retorted, finger stroking the trigger.

"Let 'em go." Cesar replied, "Watts here wont hurt ya, I'll see to that."

It took a few moments before Irvine stood, but Exeter never lost its aim. "Who're ya?"

"Cesar Lamont." He extended a hand, "Martine tell's me good things 'bout ya."

Irvine raised an auburn brow, "Oh ya? What'd he say?"

Cesar shrugged, stepping closer with his hands in his jacket pockets. Watts coughed, gripping onto the fence for support.

"Ye know Leonhart?"

Irvine lowered his gun, "Ye, why?"

"Then I gotta job for ya."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAPERIC LEGACY!

Haha, I just had to do that! Today marks a pretty special day. One year ago I (re)started posting this fic on this site, and never imagined I'd get the reception I get from you reviewers and readers! Thank you so much for being here! You guys leave very insightful comments and you're reactions are amazing!

A few things have happened over the past month I'd like to address:

1. This story was entered into the Fanfiction contest. You can now find it on that site as well, and a few more in the near future.

2. I started a blog on Tumblr called prasino45scribbles where I comment on random things and started posting fun extras such as character interviews, a few blogs. We can interact more there as well.

The plan for the blog is that I'll be doing some small snippets of stuff I'm working on, maybe some art related stuff when this story is finished, and other exciting projects. Hope to see you there!

3. A big thanks for the shout out done by Luna Manar on Tumblr yesterday. That was pretty cool of you.

I know there's some new people reading this now. So welcome!

Anyways, that's it for now. I'm gonna be over here and eat the birthday cake. (There is sadly no birthday cake...)

READ AND REVIEW! Most importantly, happy reading!


	25. Phase XXIV: Liar, Liar

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase XXIV<strong>

**Liar, Liar **

**Esthar City/Underground Holding Cells**

**November 14th, 2009. 1946 hrs**

As the darkness dissipated, Selphie gathered her senses and stirred out of oblivion. First, she felt cold and wet which explained why she was shivering. Then she felt the hardness of the floor under her with its rugged surface pressing against her back. Selphie inhaled and coughed taking dust into her nose and mouth. Her face still stung and parts of her body were sore.

_What...happened? _

With curious eyes, she peered around in the darkness of the room. Walls made of steel, floors made from concrete, this small room felt like it was closing in on her.

Her mind played back the last thing she remembered. _We just got to Esthar. There were soldiers who made us hand over our weapons and one…_

_Wait!_

Selphie whipped around, hands feeling the ground searching for him. "Squall!?"

Nothing. No reply.

She inhaled sharply, concern growing as it donned on her that she was alone. Her mind jumped to horrifying conclusions to explain his absence.

Fear swallowed her whole.

_No! He can't be! _

Selphie sprang off the floor, her fist pounded wildly against the door of her cell. "Hey! Where's Squall!? What'd you do with him!?"

Nobody on the other side of the door replied, and Selphie began to wonder if she was left to die in here.

"Are you listein'!? Get the me _fuck _outta here!" She screamed.

"Please!" She begged after a few moments of silence, her voice tired and raw, "Please..."

A hiss of the hydraulics in the door's hinges released its seemingly airtight lock. When it flew open, an angry soldier came storming in and roughly grabbed her by the arm. His gun pressed against her neck.

"Ztupid girl! I vill kill you now, if you don't keep quiet!"

"Where's Squall?" She asked, quieter this time.

"You're boyfriend iz none of your concern now." He shoved her to the floor, having enough of her already before stalking back out of the cell. The door slid shut, leaving Selphie to calm her rattled nerves.

Selphie sat in the darkness, curling into a ball, and prayed.

_Please be okay, Squall._

* * *

><p><strong>Deling CityGalbadia - Cesar's Office in UA HQ **

**1322 hrs - GAT**

His indigo eyes curiously inspected the room he was in. It was dark in here. No windows or natural sunlight. There was a table with a map and pinpoints marking various areas of interest on one side of the room. On the desk sat a series of monitors and files. Irvine sat on the desktop, picking up the metallic statue of Odin and turning it in his hands.

"Put that down." Cesar said firmly, striding into the room. Irvine started, jumping into the seat next to him.

As Cesar settled in, he wondered what Martine had even seen in the man. He picked him up outside a strip club of all places and didn't seem to have a professional bone in his body.

"Ya said ya gotta job for me?" Irvine asked him.

"Ye," Cesar replied, pulling a folder out of the pile next to him. Passing it to Irvine, he sat back and watched him skim through the pages.

"Are ya fuckin' kiddin' me!?" Irvine snapped at him.

Cesar raised a brow, leaning furthering into his chair.

"Why me?"

He inhaled sharply, "A friend o' mine said yer quite the marksman."

"I am, what of it?" Irvine narrowed his eyes, "Who's this friend o' yers?"

"Martine." Cesar shrugged and leaned forwards. "Told me yer one of Leonhart's guys. Ya trained for this kinda shit."

"Ya want me to _kill _her?" Irvine gaped, feeling sick to his stomach.

"Not kill her." Cesar corrected him, "Rinoa Heartilly frequents the Carlou lounge. We just need ya to talk to her, get whatever ya can outta her. She don't know we enlisted ya."

Irvine smirked, "Ya pick me up at a ladies club, and now yer hirin' me full time?"

Cesar returned the smirk.

"When do I start?"

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CitySomewhere Else in the Underground Bomb Shelter **

**2022 hrs - EST**

Just like when he went out, the colours were bright and smeared together. Squall tried to recollect what happened. Maybe this was the result of one of Zell's 'nights out' again. He must have had too much to drink and blacked out, this could just be a bad hang over.

_The party must have been that bad. _Squall thought, hoping wherever he was would be his own bed in Dollet.

Blinking a few times, grogginess and nausea made it hard to concentrate. A searing pain on the back of his head and stiff muscles welcomed his conscious into the land of the living.

Squall knew something was _terribly _wrong now. He felt _drugged_, but this couldn't have been a bad trip. He wasn't one to practice illegal substances anyway.

A sudden force slapped him across the face, cracking his neck to the side. Copper tasting liquid filled his mouth, his heart beat wildly in his chest. Another hit, and this time he fell forward.

_Wait- _

Squall tried to move his arms, but they were bound behind his back as a steel backrest dug into his biceps.

_I'm...sitting in a chair? I-I can't move!_

Eyes refocusing, he found three men standing before him. One wore a white gown that resembled a trench coat, one wore an Esthari blue uniform. Squall recognized the last one, the same squad leader from before.

"Oh, he'z finally awake!"

"Where…is…" Squall's lips had trouble forming words, blood dripping down his chin. "Where's…Selphie?"

"No worry about." The squad leader said in broken English. "My men taking care of girl."

The one dressed like a doctor stepped forwards holding a syringe with a green liquid in it. Squall flinched away from him, eyeing the needle he brought closer to his face.

_What...the fuck is goin' on here!?_

"Thiz vill hurt for one moment." The doctor told him as he jabbed the needle into Squall's neck. "Thiz formula iz to make zure you tell uz za truth."

This wasn't the first time Squall had been interrogated. He thought back to the D-District prison when Seifer electrocuted him senseless. Squall had heard that Esthar had superior tools to interrogate their enemy, but not _this_.

The veins in his neck and face burned, he gagged as his throat tightened up, and his heart rate accelerated. It took a few moments for him to calm down, for his senses to settle. When they did, his mind went blank.

"Who are you?" The leader asked.

"Squall Leonhart." He answered without hesitation, his mouth speaking before he could stop it.

"The girl?"

"Selphie Tilmitt. I already told you that."

"Who iz zhe?"

"She's a SeeD." Maybe telling them that wasn't such a good idea.

"You?"

"Me, too." He almost cut the man off, anxious to get the words out.

The leader exchanged a look with his subordinate before asking, "Why you in Ezthar?"

"My...father." Squall replied, staring at the floor, leaning back against the seat. "I was worried about him. About my family."

"Who iz your father?"

"Laguna Loire." He said and waited. The leader didn't do anything at first, but after a few moments he dealt Squall another backhand. He coughed out blood, and it splattered all over his sweat soaked grey t-shirt.

"Liar!" He shouted, "He had no son!"

"...I'm not lying." Squall growled.

"Who iz your mother, boy?"

"Raine Leonhart." Squall stated, but was sure the men had never heard of her. "Laguna Loire married...a women from Galbadia before coming here. He came to Esthar to find Ellone...my sister, who Adel wanted as a successor..."

Sis' name made the soldiers turn to the doctor the in question, who just shrugged it off, "He zpeakz the truth. My drug doez not fail."

The leader scowled, agitated with this exchange, and gave the order to his subordinate. "I vant him gone. Back to Cellz!"

Squall felt his wrists unbind from the locking device behind the chair. He felt someone push him forward, too tired to fight back and fell to the floor. The soldier dragged him along towards the holding cells.

The hissing of the door rose Selphie from her half slumber when Squall was thrown in. Collapsing to the ground, he breathed deep, feeling the after effects of the drug they gave him. The door shut again, leaving Selphie to take in the state he was in.

She turned him over, resting his head into her lap. Squall was sweating, pale, and sickly. Dried blood crusted in the stubble on his chin, and his grey shirt had specks of red all over the front.

"What the _hell_ did you do to him!?" She screamed at the door to the cell.

* * *

><p>He sipped at the bitter amber liquid, gulping down more than he would have liked at once. Irvine pounded the glass against the wooden counter, eyeing other patrons in the room. It was all fat truckers and unattractive MILFs tonight. No pretty ladies to be seen, well not at this dive anyway. Not this far out of the city core.<p>

A hand clapped onto his shoulder, and his reflexes kicked in. Irvine grabbed it, spinning around and slamming the man's temple against the counter hard. One hand bound their wrists together behind their back. The other on the trigger of the Exeter pushing into the guy's cheek.

"W-whoa, s-s-s-ir!" He panicked, dark eyes on the gun.

"Fuck, Watts!" Irvine snapped, backing away. That's when he noticed all the unwanted attention from the other patrons in the room. The usual commotion of the night stopped, eyes curiously watching for Irvine's next move.

Rage burned in Irvine's chest, turning his heel to walk to the exit. Once outside, he heard the door open again, and Watts tumble out after him.

"Wait up, sir!"

Irvine sighed, figuring he'd give him ten seconds to tell him what he wanted before he dipped. "What now?"

He said, "I got some info ya might find useful."

Irvine raised a brow, turning to him with piqued interest, "Regardin' what?"

"Rinoa, sir."

"Why would ya gimme _any_ info on her?"

"I'm an informant, sir."

Irvine eyed him skeptically, "N' what makes ya think I should trust ya. Ya tried to kill me in the ladies club."

He looked sheepish, "Sorry 'bout that, sir. I was followin' orders is all."

"Ya still runnin' with Rin?"

"That's tha thing, sir. I know why Rinoa's doin' all this. Why she's really pointin' this war on Squall."

"Go on..."

"Seifer was the reason why she left Garden. He told her that SeeD was tryin' to control her and her powers. Squall was given orders to make sure she never left. Rinoa found out and...y'know."

"Figured as much, but why go after SeeD now? We're done. We ain't operational." Irvine commented.

"That's the reason why she went after President Loire in Esthar. He was housin' SeeDs there. They knew of what was goin' on outside the Hex Shield. They were all gonna plan a rebellion to kill her. They had guys in Timber who were gonna start things off."

He was aware of Timber's current state now after reading through the reports Cesar gave him. "When Caraway found out, he sent in troops to wipe the city clean. Now its happenin' in Esthar."

"Esthar, eh?" Irvine rose a brow.

Watts nodded, "Rinoa's still convinced SeeDs survived the attack. They're 'exterminating' 'em, and then they're gonna torch the city."

"_Shit!" _Irvine shouted, "Does Lamont know this?"

"Lamont knows everything, sir, but he's not interested in Esthar right now." Watts explained, "He thinks another attack is bein' planned."

"Where?"

"FH, sir."

Irvine ran a hand across his jaw, taking this in. He took a deep breath, and then continued to walk out into the parking lot of the dive bar and into the street.

_Been gone for a few months, and Rinoa's on some kinda killin' spree? _He remembered Rinoa back when they first met. She was kind, passionate, and cared about freeing the people. Now all she wanted to do was free herself and gain control. Her odd behaviour spurred up a series of shocking questions.

_Could her _powers _be doin' this? She gonna turn out like Adel or worse...?_

He didn't wanna think about that, but he did have one question.

"Hey, Watts. Where's Sei-"

His sentence cut off when he realized he was standing alone in the parking lot again. Watts was nowhere in sight.

* * *

><p>The orange creature emerged from the shadows of the interrogation room. He sniffed the ground with interest until the top of his head hit the leg of a steel chair. He squeaked in surprise, rubbing the aching spot with his oversized paw. His eyes caught sight of a trail leading out of the room. The trail was red, droplets dotting the path.<p>

He blinked, moving closer to inspect it. The closer he got, the more a familiar face flashed in his mind. He nudged it with his nose, feeling the wetness of the red liquid. It hadn't dried yet, and it smelt good.

His little tongue peeked out from his mouth, licking the floor eagerly. The Moomba jumped back in utter shock, and then crouched down quickly to lick it one more time just in case.

The name popped into his mind, and his little heart began to panic. He followed the trail out of the room and into the corridor. His small voice squeaked out the same word, the only one he knew how to say in 'human talk'.

"LAGUNA! LAGUNA! LAGUNA!"

* * *

><p>Her lips left a pink imprint of the glass, her brown eyes gazed and admired the live band playing in the lounge. The gentle melody of the piano brought her back to fond memories as a child. Her mother had her on her knee explaining the difference between a black to a white key.<p>

Rinoa smiled.

_If only life was always that easy. _

"Is this seat taken?" She heard someone say from behind her. Rinoa turned to find the familiar face of an old comrade smiling mischievously at her. Not surprisingly, her guards started to get up from their tables around them, but she waved them off. He was no threat to her.

"Irvine Kinneas." Rinoa smiled, "What a surprise!"

Irvine hugged her shorter frame tightly and backed off to get a good look at her. "Wow, ya look..."

She raised a brow.

"Amazing!"

She laughed, gesturing to the seat next to her at the rooftop bar, "No, this seat isn't taken."

Irvine shifted forward on his stool, ordering a scotch on the rocks. "What brings you to Deling?"

He smiled, "Ya know. Been on the road a few years. Sometimes I like to come back to familiar parts is all."

Rinoa rested her chin on her fist, "Oh yeah? Where?"

Irvine tried to recollect, but was sure to select his words wisely. "Trabia."

"Trabia? It's freezing up there!" She replied, "I don't know what's so appealing about that place!"

"I don't discriminate." He replied with a chuckle. "Went to watch the northern lights. Camped out in the Bika Snowfield for a couple 'a months with some locals. Good times."

"I'm sure it was." Rinoa smiled. "Never took you to be the hippy type."

"More out there than war and ladies." Irvine took his drink from the bartender and nodded. "I mean, I still get the ladies, I just have exotic tastes now. Expanded my horizons n' all."

"And now your back in Deling." Rinoa raised a brow. "You miss women with more class?"

Irvine looked her up and down, admiring the royal blue dress that dipped low on her cleavage. "Home sick I suppose." He took a sip of his drink. "How 'bout ya? How have ya been since..."

Rinoa smiled, "Since I left Garden? Good. Good!"

She looked too happy after the events in recent months. Was this some kind of act?

Irvine cast his eyes around, noticing the five guys dressed in suits watching his every move. "Who're yer friends? They here for the scotch, too?"

Rinoa scoffed, "Don't mind them. They're just looking out for me."

"How come? Daddy sick 'em on ya?" He figured he'd bring Caraway into this. Reports as well as the news recently were all about the late president. Despite Irvine's obliviousness of recent events, that kind of news was hard to ignore.

Rinoa's face was devoid of any emotion, "No, he's dead."

"I'm sorry ta hear that." Irvine replied, "Heard it was a fire."

"Yeah, they broke into the mansion and torched it." She explained, "He was asleep when it happened."

Irvine knew the answer, but he was still curious. "Who's they? Did they find the guy?"

Rinoa blinked, surprised that Irvine was that oblivious. She supposed her broadcast didn't get as far as Trabia, "You didn't hear? Squall did it."

Irvine prided himself in his acting skills. He took a few classes as a cadet, never thinking that it would do him any good, but this was one of those times. "Really!? What the _fuck _is wrong with him? Why would he do that!?"

"I don't know. They still haven't caught him. He was last seen here in Deling a few weeks ago. I guess he's not over the break up."

Irvine knew that was bullshit, but didn't call her on it. He had been in contact with Squall since Garden shut down. Squall had ample time to get over her, and from as far as Irvine could see, he was better off.

"Have you been in contact with him?" Rinoa asked.

Irvine shook his head, "Ya know how he is, loner n' all."

Rinoa nodded.

Irvine sighed, "To torch a whole mansion? He couldn't have done that alone."

"He didn't. He's running with the wrong people. People who wanna harm me and my family. Irvine, these are _bad _people. They wanna overthrow Galbadia. They wanna take it over." She explained, leaning into his so that nobody else could hear.

The resistance. The same people _she _ran with once upon a time ago.

"Who are they?" He asked her, again, wanting to get her to say it.

"They call themselves the Underground Association. They've been building an army. They're recruiting ex-SeeDs, and they're here in Galbadia."

His heart stopped, so he turned to take a larger gulp of his scotch almost thankful for the instant burn. It masked the utter shock he was experiencing.

She _knew. _Rinoa _knew _why he was here.

Irvine quickly ran through his options for an escape plan. He could kill her, but those guys were still staring. He could run, but that would give him away. So he did what he did best. Change the subject.

He leaned in closer to her, his face inches away. "How 'bout we get outta here. Somewhere private. Ya can tell yer guys they're not invited."

Rinoa smirked, turning to her own drink, "Always the charmer, Kinneas. I'm flattered, really." Her brown eyes held amusement in them, "But I don't think Seifer would appreciate that."

He raised his brows, "I don't see 'em anywhere."

"He's away on business."

_Buisness, eh? Is that what they call knight's doin' the dirty work these days? _

"Oh well, tell him I says hello."

"Miss Heartilly." A man said from behind them, it was one of her guards. "We must take our leave."

"It was nice talking to you, Irvine." Rinoa gushed, "We should do this again sometime!"

He tipped his hat and smiled. "Will do, princess."

As she left the rooftop, Irvine finished his drink.

_Over my dead body._

* * *

><p>Cesar sighed, rubbing his face. Eyes red and tired as they scanned the lastest report in his hand. The military was starting a citywide sweep for resistence members under orders from Heartilly. The death count came in just under an hour ago. They had lost 125 members since noon, and this just got to his desk <em>now<em>.

They didnt have much time left, and he needed to make a call.

"Lamont!" His head snapped up from his paper work to find that dumbass cowboy rushing into his office.

"The hell?"

Irvine was furious. "Ya gotta mole makin' holes in yer organization!"

"The fuck do ya mean!?" He stood up behind his desk.

"Watts, man." Irvine retorted, "Whatever yer payin' him, Rinoa's payin' double, triple even! That guys like a walkin' auction! He's spewin' info ta both sides!"

"How do ya know that!?"

"I _went _to Carlou. She knew I was with ya guys!" Irvine exclaimed, sinking into the chair across from him.

Word travels fast in Deling, no doubt, and shit just got more complicaing.

"Lemme deal with him, but first," Cesar pulled out another folder and handed it to him.

Irvine groaned, "_Another_ mission? Look, I did what ya said!"

Cesar's dark eyes locked straight into his. "I need ya to go to FH. Ya gonna meet with two of my guys. Shits gonna start goin' down there, and we dont got much time."

Irvine glared at him, flipping the folder over and reading the two names printed on the mission brief. His heart stopped for the fourth time that night when he saw the second name.

Skyros Angelus.

Zell Dincht.

* * *

><p><strong>Deling CityGalbadia - Rinoa's Suite**

**November 15th, 2009. 0645 hrs - GAT**

Rinoa woke up the next morning with a package brought to her by one of her men. She put her coffee down next to her on the dark mohgany desk and opened it.

More photographs.

This time they were of a man she could hardly recognize between the battered face of briuses and blood.

Watts.

First Zone, now Watts.

Rinoa threw it across the room, the photos and envelope scattered all over the floor. She threw her coffee and slid everything off her desk screaming.

Her men tried to remain composed as fear for their lives set in.

Rinoa exhaled, her powers radiating from her body. She stalked towards the window overlooking the city just as the sun began to come up. It fought through dense cloud cover and smog.

_Kill all SeeDs. Kill all Resistance members. _

"This means war." She announced.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Man! Two posts in a week! I'm on some kind of roll now. If you haven't read it, I did a story called "What is SeeD?" told by character who may or may not be a future character in the series. When I mean future, he wont be around for a WHILE. The idea popped into my head, and I couldn't stop thinking about it. Take a read if you got the time!

So, Irvine, Watts, and Rinoa got some screen time in this one! It was pretty cool getting to write other characters in this story as I'm primarily always writing Squall and Selphie's story arc. From now to the end, I pretty much have them all planned out. I actually have the rest of the story planned out. It's just from this point on I'm actually writing and posting rather than already having it written, editing, and posting. Posts may be a bit more infrequent for that. I'm also doing a bit of artwork here and there for this story. Way more to come after this story is finished or when we're closer to the end.

You may also see things like EST and GAT in the times. Thats just for timezone purposes.

EST - Esthar Time

GAT - Galbadian Time

Just thought to point that out.

Anyways, thanks for all the awesome reviews, and...

HAPPY READING! Read and Review! I reply to all signed reviews!


	26. Phase XXV: Moombas and Reunions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

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><p><strong>Phase XXV<strong>

**Moombas and Reunions**

**Esthar City/Underground Holding Cells**

**November 15th, 2009. 1946 hrs**

When the chamber door hissed open again, light shone through hitting Selphie in the face. She blinked struggling to see, but nobody came through the door. A muffle of voices discussing something grew louder until she could clearly hear yelling.

There was some kind of struggle, and an orange beast was kicked through the door holding a tray of food. The door slid shut behind it, and the animal curiously looked around the room.

A Moomba.

The creature stood on its hind legs venturing closer to them apprehensively. "It's okay…" Selphie whispered, feeling Squall's eyes watching her from the corner of the cell. Since they dropped him off, Squall tried to catch up on some much needed sleep. The corner was no bed though, so getting proper rest was still a struggle for him.

Selphie knew what she was doing as a plan was piecing together in her mind. If this worked, and what they used to say about Moombas were true, then this little guy was their ticket out of here.

"I'm your friend." She assured it, "I wont hurt you."

The Moomba made a gesture towards Squall as if to ask 'How about him?'

Selphie smiled, "No. He's friendly. He's your friend, too."

"Selphie, it doesn't understand you." Squall dismissed her attempts with a growl.

She stuck her tongue out at him, while Squall started eating the nasty slop they called a meal. "I don't think you have a better plan, do you?"

Between bites of the thick portage, Squall asked, "And you do?"

Selphie looked back at the Moomba who had tilted its head to the side in curiosity. She took note of the fork sitting on the food tray and grabbed it. As Squall busied himself with the food, she slowly crawled over to him and stabbed in into his forearm hard.

"What the hell was that for!?" He snapped.

She shushed him, roughly grabbing the Moomba by the ear. "Lick him."

Squall stared at her perplexed until something finally clicked. He learned about these creatures in class once. The first time he had ever seen one in real life was in the D-Distirct prison after his interrogation with Seifer. A hoard of Moombas had surrounded him, calling out his father's name. Squall came to realize one rather important detail.

He was his father's son. His own flesh and blood. His _blood._

_She's onto something here._

Squall tossed the bowl to the side, clattering into a mushy mess against the wall next to him. He knelt down in front of it sticking out his arm. A small amount of blood gushed from the four little holes in his skin. He just hoped it was enough for the Moomba to recall the only name it knew how to say.

"Come here, buddy." Squall urged, exchanging a hopeful glance with Selphie. "It's alright. I'm your friend, remember?"

The animal sniffed his fingers, and slowly made its way up his arm.

Investigating the smell of his blood, the Moomba's nose poked at Squall's arm. Hovering over the small droplets, the Moomba deemed it safe to lick. Squall could feel the sharpness of its little tongue drag across the wound. He smiled at Selphie who had been petting its orange fur.

"Lagu?" The Moomba asked, hopeful and perking up. Within moments, it climbed on top of Squall, licking his face and the other wounds he received during his last interrogation.

"Laguna!" It squealed happily as if to recognize an old friend.

"_Not_ Laguna…" Selphie laughed patting its head between its ears. "Squall. _Squ-aaall_."

Squall chuckled, "I doubt we have time to teach it another name."

"Hey," Selphie said to it, waving her hands in descriptive ways. "Distract the guard. Beat him up if you have to."

The Moomba nodded and darted out the door. Behind it there was a struggle, and the guard was shouting again. His shouts turned to gargles, and everything went quiet. Squall and Selphie grew concerned, realizing that the fork had disappeared.

As if nothing had happened, the Moomba poked its head in and vanished around the corner again. Selphie got to her feet not hesitating to walk out the door. Squall's hand grabbed her forearm before she made it into the hallway.

"We don't know what's out there. This could be a trap."

Selphie rolled her eyes, "Only one way to find out." Peeking into the hall, an overhead light dimly shone upon the Moomba's orange fur, who waited at the other end. "C'mon. I think it's tellin' us the coast is clear."

When they got closer, it ran off down another corridor. "This could be a _labyrinth_ for all we know, Selphie." Squall grumbled.

She locked eyes with him, "Do you trust me?"

He seemed confused by the irrelevant question and bad timing. She sighed, "I need to know or we'll die in here."

Squall's eyes may have held uncertainty, but right now she had to believe whatever he was about to say. "Yes." Her hand slipped into his much like it did every time they were in a dire situation and tightened her grip.

"Good." Selphie said with a smirk and a nod, "Follow me."

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CityUnderground Bomb Shelter Medical Wing**

**2003 hrs**

Ellone and Rayen had finished bandaging up a wounded SeeD who had ventured too far into the city. He had been yet another unlucky one attacked in the last few days by patrolling Galbadian troops.

Ellone couldn't even keep count anymore.

Between his ramblings and trailed off sentences, he eagerly tried to communicate with them. It sounded like a jumbled mess as Ellone ignored his eyes and bandaged up his leg. Rayen injected him with something that knocked the SeeD out in an instant.

The SeeD medic sighed, clearly more worn down than the last time she had seen him. Ellone frowned, watching him gather up his supplies again about ready to take on the next patient.

"Maybe you should rest." She suggested before he finished up, stopping him from leaving. "You've been at this for three days straight without more than an hours sleep."

Rayen smiled at her, but even she could tell he was forcing it. "I can't."

"You can't or you _wont?_"

The smile disappeared, and Rayen shook his head. He ran his fingers through his short strands. Instead of finding a better excuse, he figured that he'd tell her the truth. "These people they're attacking…they're _my_ people. I'm a part of them, Elle. I need to do something. I know what I'm doing isn't creating a huge impact in the grand scheme of things but-"

"It is!" She cut him off, "Rayen, you're sacrificing your _well being_ for the lives of others! You may think that it's not doing much, but you change the lives of your patients everyday."

Rayen nodded, "Yeah, well…"

"LAGUNA!"

The two stopped their conversation upon hearing that name. Ellone's heart leapt into her throat, hopeful that they found him.

A Moomba scurried over to them, and they glanced at one another confused over why it was so excited. It jumped around, waving its hands between growls and desperate cries.

Ellone knelt down in front of it, trying to make sense of what the beast wanted to say.

"What's wrong, little fella?"

"LAGUNA! LAGUNA! …NNAAA!"

"I think it's trying to tell you something." Rayen said. He had heard something about these creatures as a cadet. He tried to remember what his instructor had told him during that lesson. Years of junctioning had muddled that memory.

Ellone look up at Rayen, "You think it's found my uncle?"

He shrugged. "Moombas can recognize someone by their blood. I don't know how it knows Laguna's name, but maybe it knows something."

"Oh my god." Ellone stood up quickly, "If it's not Laguna, it's Squall! He's _here!_ He has to be!"

"You think it licked your brother's blood and came to find you?"

Ellone nodded, and so did the Moomba. It looked delighted now that she had figured it out.

"That's exactly what I think."

* * *

><p><strong>Esthar CityUnderground Holding Cells**

Squall and Selphie dashed through the halls of the underground prison past other cells. The Moomba was leading the way on all fours now. The exhilarating feeling of their escape, of them running like this, delighted Selphie. Her laughter laced with her panting told Squall that she was having way too much fun with this.

He had the tail end of their little gauntlet, keeping pace a few feet behind the small brunette. He could have easily outrun her, his legs were longer and much stronger. His job was to keep his eyes out for anything behind them.

They kept their footsteps light as a precaution, careful not to draw anymore attention. The strange thing was that all these halls were empty. No guards.

Estharians couldn't be stupid enough to leave one guard to tend all the cells. A bad feeling sunk into his stomach, unable to shake the feeling that this was a trap.

Squall just _hoped _they were that stupid.

Up ahead they heard the shriek of the Moomba. Squall's head snapped up, colliding into Selphie from behind her when she came to a skidding hault. He quickly regained composure, holding her still by the shoulders.

"Shit." Squall heard under the girl's breath.

The hiss of lasers powering up and thin beams of red aiming at them from down the hall indicated one only thing.

They'd been caught. _Again._

"Selphie."

"Hm?"

"You know when I told you I trusted you?"

"Yeah." She sounded breathless.

"I lied."

And just as he finished saying that the first shot fired just above their heads. It missed, but it was just a warning shot. Another deadly plasma beam came at them. One thought cross Squall's mind.

_Why can't things just go our way for once?_

* * *

><p>Her list of duties for today was interrupted by yet another intrusion in her makeshift office. Quistis growled, her fingers running through her hair in aggravation. A scuffle was going on outside her door, like her men were trying to detain the person who was trying to get into the room.<p>

A hiss from the hydraulic doors told her they somehow got through them, revealing Ellone and Rayen. Quistis had never seen Sis this angry in her life. Rayen was breathless, exasperated by what was going on.

"Quistis! What the hell!?" She shouted, storming into the room.

"I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen!" Rayen defended himself, raising his hands in front of himself.

Quistis sighed, "What's wrong now?"

"You're stupid order that's what!" Ellone snapped, "Squall's here!"

The blonde rose from her seat in disbelief, "How do you know this?"

Ellone added a bit of sass to her tone, "I don't know, maybe a little _Moomba_ told me! He came to me _yelling _Laguna's name! Now that tells me one of two things: you found Uncle Laguna or Squall's here. Since there is still _no_ word on my uncle, I can assume my brother is in Esthar. _Then _I find out _your _men have orders to arrest anyone who came into the city! _Your_ men _hurt _Squall!"

Quistis saw the fault in her plans, "You have my permission to-"

"Ma'am." Yet another intrusion. If anymore people were going to come into this office, it was about to get really cramped in here. One of her men stood straight and saluted. He had others behind him in the hallway, and she couldn't see why all of them had come at once.

"Yes?" She asked him.

"Ve have retrieved prizonerz who tried to ezcape from za chamberz, Ma'am." He explained.

Quistis narrowed her blue eyes, removing her glasses. "Let them in."

The men dragged in two people. A small one, and a taller one. A women, and a man. One guard each pushed them through the entrance despite their struggles and resistance.

His grey wrinkled shirt had dark red spots splattered across his chest and stomach. His arms, neck, and face had grime and dried blood smeared across skin and crusted into his beard. Despite his cropped hair and facial scruff, Quistis instantly recognized him. She could never forget those piercing blue eyes, that scowl, and the diagonal scar on the bridge of his nose.

As for the female, her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in gentle waves. It was much longer from when she last saw the girl after leaving Garden. And instead of her signature yellow dress, she had on a dirty white tank top and ripped up jeans.

Quistis sighed, relieved to see that her friends were okay.

Squall and Selphie were finally here.

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonLure's Diner**

**1200 hrs FHT**

His presence in FH was more of a priority than he thought. Instead of taking the train, or driving all the way here, Cesar prepared a chopper to drop him off. Irvine had only been in FH an hour before he found a diner to grab a bite.

He formulated a mental checklist of his duties. He needed to find Nida, but more importantly Squall. Trying his luck, he pulled out his Smartphone and dialed Squall's number.

It rang a few times and went straight to voicemail.

_"…__not here at the moment, please try again later."_ The robotic sound of the operator said.

Irvine frowned, not surprised that Squall didn't pick up. The last time he saw the brooding brunet was in August for his birthday. They hadn't even messaged each other since, but then again Squall was shit at keeping in contact.

"Two straight coffees." Someone ordered next to him, coming up to the bar area. Instinctively, Irvine's ear perked up.

The guy had on a heavy leather jacket, which was odd in the scorching FH heat. He also had spiky black hair, and a bit of a beard growing in as if he had been on the road himself for quite a while. He appeared worn out and in desperate need of that coffee.

When his order came, he strolled down the isle to the other side of the diner. Irvine watched him slide into a booth across from another male.

Some fat bloke was blocking his view, making it difficult to see his friend. Stretching farther, Irvine could make out a blond sweep of hair on the top of his head. The guy's friend turned to look to his left, and that's when Irvine saw the tattoo on the side of his face.

As they say in FH..._Jackpot!_

Tossing some gil onto the counter with a meagre tip, the cowboy b-lined towards them. When he stood right next to their booth, they stopped their intense conversation. Eyes of skepticism narrowed at Irvine, but he was too excited to care. He'd found a SeeD, and not just any SeeD.

Mr. Zell Dincht himself.

Zell quickly realized what was going on and jumped up from his seat to bear hug him. Irvine patted the shorter man on the back, happy to see his buddy again.

"How's it goin'?" He drawled out delightfully.

Zell offered a large grin, "Great man! Shit, what're ya doin' in FH!?"

Irvine waved him off, "Got some business to take care of. Lookin' for SeeDs and all."

Angelus set down his coffee, "We got lots of them."

Irvine chuckled, relieved as to how easy this mission turned out to be. "Great! We're gonna need 'em!"

"...and you are?"

Zell jerked his thumb towards the cowboy, "Irvine Kinneas. He was a SeeD and-"

"Or sharpshooter," Irvine corrected him, "Or bullseye, ladies men, bachelor, some women call me-"

"We _get _it." Angelus growled.

"Or…Irvine. Just Irvine if it makes it easier."

"Well," Angelus raised his brows, "You and Squall have some weird friends."

"Oh!" Irvine exclaimed, "I need'a talk to Squall."

"Don't we all." The black haired man replied, "We haven't seen that guy in a fucking while."

"How long's a while?"

Zell gave Irvine a look, "Over a week. He ran off with Selphie to Esthar. The SeeDs here say they passed through a few days ago and went towards the east border."

_Selphie's involved in this shit, too!?_

"Sefie's with him?"

"Yeah, like _with _him." Zell emphasized.

Irvine took the hint, and it hit him hard in disbelief. "He's finally gotten over Rin, eh? But couldn't imagine him with little Sefie. How'd that happen?"

"Does it _fucking _matter!?" Angelus shouted, "We have more important things going on!"

Zell smiled sheepishly, "Right. We got word Galbadia's on their way. We're waitin' for Aiden and James to get back tonight to start preparations. Apparently, they were with Squall."

"So yer hopin' they'll come back with orders?"

"No, we're gathering men to fight _now_." Angelus explained. "We don't have much time."

Irvine smirked, "Exactly why I'm here. Where do I sign up?"

* * *

><p>Time stood still. All five of them stood in that office staring at each other after Quistis sent her guards away.<p>

"You get arrested, and then you break out?" Quistis laughed.

Squall cast Selphie a glare, "What'd you expect? It was _her _idea."

Selphie protested that, "What? It worked, didn't it?"

"No," Squall countered, "You could have had us killed."

Selphie was about to argue back, but Quistis raised a hand to interject. "Well, it's a good thing you finally came." She said walking around her desk.

"Squall!" He turned to see his sister run into him, flinging her arms around his neck. Squall was taken aback, not expecting to find her here, but eased into the embrace anyways. He was instantly relieved. Ellone was okay. She was safe.

His hand stroked her head, feeling her brown strands tangle between his fingers. Her hair was longer than he remembered, and now it went down past her shoulders. "I'm glad you're okay, Sis."

She pulled back holding his face to examine it. "You've been through hell, I bet. I mean, look at you! What happened to your hair!?"

Squall's lips pulled back into a smile, "Long story."

Quistis crossed her arms. "Well, we have a lot of work to do then."

* * *

><p>A map lay on the old dusty table in Vaughn's war room with all of them standing around it. Irvine sat in a wooden chair feeling like the silence in the room was eating him alive. Zell, Angelus, Aiden, James, Nida, and Vaughn searched the map as if a plan was going to fly out to them.<p>

His boots tapped against the steel leg of the table watching the look of concentration on their faces. For two hours now, maybe every 30 seconds, someone would suggest something just to get shot down. Someone else would point out all its flaws and fall back into silence. The cycle had Irvine at his wits end; his fist came down against the table shaking everything on it. Their attention snapped to him, irritated by his interruption.

"Seriously? What is this? What're we doin' here?"

Zell levelled his gaze with Irvine from across the table, "Plannin'."

"Don't look like planin'."

"What does it look like then?" Angelus asked.

"Like a bunch of men starin' at a fuckin' piece 'a paper!" He snapped.

"Fuck ya, ya piece'a shit!" James burst, almost throwing himself across the table to strangle the cowboy. Irvine jumped away with a smirk, taking his hat off and bowing out of disrespect.

"Men!" Vaughn shouted, "Calm tha _fuck_ down!"

Angelus rubbed his temples, staring down at the black markers that represented their enemy. They were located on both sides of FH, more on the right then the left. More of them in Galbadia than in Esthar, but surrounded them all the same.

"We're boxed into FH from both sides. Any word on how many?" He asked the group.

"Came across a bunch at the eastern border. Didn't spot any near the Great Salt Lake. Can't say how many are actually _in _Esthar though." Aiden exchanged knowing glances with James.

"Only the Commanda n' tha chick would know." James added, "But they haven't gotten back ta us since they left."

"What are the chances that Seifer's in Esthar?" Everyone turned their attention to the only blond in the room. He was particularly fixed on the massive eastern continent, more specifically its capital city. "He's involved, and we know he left Galbadia when we were in Deling City."

"Seems likely. He must have been there for almost a month. Long enough for a campaign like that, I suppose." Angelus answered him, and then turned to Vaughn. "Any ripples in the pond?"

"More like waves, boy." He replied. "In the fuckin' sea."

All the SeeDs looked at each other in bewilderment.

"English please?" Irvine yawned.

Vaughn sighed before elaborating, "The resistance's gone crazy over this. The ones left in town are plannin' to head southwest. Some wanna go as far as Centra. Others-"

"No!" James bellowed, slamming the table. "We ain't runnin'! We'll defend FH! They wont make us leave again!"

Angelus thought of something then. "James, how many men do you have?"

The SeeD scoffed, assuming this was another one of Angelus' clever ways to mock his position. "Why?"

He shook his head at James' immaturity. "How many men do _we_ got, Vaughn?"

Vaughn smirked, violet eyes sparkling, and knowing where he was going with this. "'Bout 400. Those who are willin' to fight that is."

Angelus nodded towards James. "Same question."

James finally took the hint. "Twelve, if ya count these two wankas." He gestured towards Zell and Irvine. Zell fought the urge to punch him in the face. Irvine just raised a brow at him.

Angelus' signature smirk crossed his face. "This is what we're gonna do."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Wow, finally done this one! I've been pretty busy with some other projects after the whole FF7 remake trailer came out a few days ago. Things are crazy with that on other social media sites. This isn't about that though.

Some interesting things here that will be setting up the events coming up. Squall and Selphie have reunited with Quistis and Ellone, and so did Irvine with Zell and the other guys. A battle is about to start.

Also a hint. Another canon character is gonna make their appearance in the next few chapters. Wont say who, but they're coming! Who do you think it is?


	27. Phase XXVI: Battle Preparations

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXVI<strong>

**Battle Preparations**

**Esthar City/ Underground Airship Hangar **

**0830 hrs EST **

"How many do we have left?"

Quistis knew he wouldn't like the number, but she couldn't lie to him either. "Three-hundred and twenty-four SeeDs."

Squall looked utterly surprised. She shamefully nodded.

"Four thousand of them were brought into this country by my father. What the hell happened!?" Squall growled.

"We've been getting SeeDs carted into the medical quarters for the past week. Who knows how many are still out there."

"I need an army." He told her.

She scoffed, "Three hundred's no army, and Esthar isn't going to retaliate with SeeDs on hand. If we go into this, we are using our own men."

"How can you say that!?" Squall snapped, "These are our people!"

Quistis removed her glasses, eyes glaring daggers into his, "Think about it. They _know _we have SeeDs in our country. They have hundreds, maybe thousands of men who are waiting for us to make our next move. The streets are barren, and they don't know about the underground shelters yet. They have no idea we have our survivors living in tunnels and canals. I have to do what's best for this country. It's the least I can do for…"

"My father, I _know_." Squall finished for her. "Quistis, we have a group of SeeDs in FH waiting on _my _next order. That city's overpopulated with refugees from previous targets. Rinoa's men are heading there next."

"And how many SeeDs do you have there?" Quistis crossed her arms.

Squall's voice didn't falter, "Twelve."

Quistis burst out laughing, "_Twelve!"_

"Not including any active member of the underground resistance. The UA factions are fighting, too." He added.

"The Underground Association? I thought those were just stories to make the Timber resistance appear more threatening."

Squall smirked, "They're real. I've been running with them over the past couple of months."

Quistis' icy glare ceased when she abruptly turned her heels towards the airship hangar. As ludicrous as his plan was, Squall still sounded confident enough to know what he was doing. In any case, she figured he'd need all the help he could get. She brought him here for a reason. The hanger held Esthar's military convoys and hovercrafts. It also housed some of the most advanced airships they had at their disposal.

Before the attack, Laguna involved himself in a secret project down here. Taking the Ragnorok they found in space, he had it repaired from the damage done to it from the previous war. It was now docked here, standing mighty among the other ships with its red gleaming coat.

It was a gift. The last gift a man could have given his son.

"Ragnorok." Squall allowed the word to fall from his tongue. Spotlights ran along the metal tile, highlighting every detail in its curvature. Engineers were applying the finishing touches to it before it flew into another battle.

"A SeeD never goes to battle unprepared." Quistis recited the old saying with a knowing smirk. "I'll have all SeeDs who are able to fight meet here in a few hours. They'll need their commander to lead them straight into this one."

Squall nodded, eyes glued to the airship. "That's all I'll need."

"If you need more ships, we'll provide you with some."

"Good." He replied and strode back to the entrance.

"Where are you going?" She called after him.

"I need to do something first."

* * *

><p>"Wow!"<p>

Selphie's eyes went wide, staring at all the high tech supplies and machines in the medical wing. She poked at what looked like some high tech laser, but stopped when Rayen shouted and rushed over.

"H-hey!" He yanked her arm away."That's not a toy!"

Selphie pouted, Ellone stifle a giggle from her spot at the other end of the lab. "What? I was just lookin'!"

Rayen frowned, holding up a finger as if he were scolding a child. "These are high tech state of the art Estharian technology. The stuff you've seen in Galbadia or even _Garden _don't compare to how efficient these can be!"

"Efficient and _dangerous_." Ellone emphasized, "Rayen doesn't even let _me _touch them."

Rayen moved away from her to inspect some kind of beaker he'd been tampering with. Selphie stuck out her tongue at his back, but noticed the endearing look Ellone kept giving him.

_Is it me, or am I the third wheel in the room?_

She huffed, settling into a spot far away from '_Professor Gadget'_ over there. Ellone was busy filling supply bags for some of the other medics when something beeped.

Rayen sighed, taking out a small device. "I got a call. Looks like another one came in."

Ellone nodded, her face full of concern. Rayen looked sympathetic."Sorry Elle, can you finish up and take care of the rest?"

Despite herself, she smiled, "Sure."

When he left the room, Selphie decided to take it upon herself to ask the question now. "So, how long have you been together?"

Ellone's face went beat red in seconds, "W-what do you mean?"

Selphie rolled her eyes, "You _obviously _have a thing for him! C'mon, spill!"

Zipping up another package, Ellone slid it to the side into a nearby pile. "Since just before the attack. We were casually seeing each other, and now I'm his assistant."

"Assistant?" Selphie grinned, resting her chin on her knuckles, "Is that what he calls you?"

"Selphie!"

Selphie backed off raising her hands, "What!? Just askin'!"

"Rayen is a good guy." Ellone explained, "He's been burning himself out trying to take care of everyone else. I try to help him because I worry that he's not taking care of himself. He's doing whatever he can."

Selphie nodded, "Does Squall know?"

She stopped what she was doing to give Selphie a pointed look. "No. And he doesn't need to concern himself with my love life right now."

Selphie slid off the metal stool, getting closer to her, "Because you know what he's gonna say."

"He could be dangerous!" Both women yelled simultaneously and burst out into a fit of laughter.

When she sobered up, it was Ellone's turn to ask before she went back to work. "You and Squall seem…close."

Selphie nervously giggled, "Uh…what makes you say that?"

"Why did you come to Esthar, Selphie?" Ellone came right out with it. Quistis had wondered the same thing, but hadn't the time to ask her herself.

Selphie's smile vanished as a heavy sigh escaped her lips when she slumped back onto the stool. "Squall asked me to after…y'know."

Ellone frowned, all smiles and laughter sucked right out of the conversation. "How was he?"

"Devastated. He won't admit it, but Squall feels loss just like everyone else does. After he heard about Sir Laguna, something in him snapped. Squall's not…the same anymore."

"Not the same?" She echoed the words slowly, not following. The news took a huge toll on her as well, but Ellone knew of her brother's lack of coping when it came to loss. Squall must have been regretting his last conversation with his father now. Ellone remembered the solemn look on her uncle's face upon hearing that Squall had gone home early last Christmas. That was a day she would never forget, and her heart broke for him- for _both _of them.

"When all this started he acted like he could care less, but now this war is all he's thinking about. He lives and breathes it. I haven't seen this much passion in him since…"

"Rinoa." Ellone finished for her, noticing the conflicted look on Selphie's face. She realized then the real reason why Selphie had come with him to Esthar.

"You love him."

"W-what!?" Selphie stammered.

Ellone snorted, "C'mon. You asked me about Rayen."

"I do not lov-"

"Sis."

Overcome by embarrassment, Selphie's heart leap into her mouth when Squall entered the room. She covered her face with her hands, hiding the deep red flush in her cheeks. Squall was standing right there.

_How much did he hear!?_

"I need a favour."

"Anything." Ellone replied without hesitation.

"Take me to the injured SeeDs. I need to inspect their wounds to cross reference them with some I've seen before."

"Sure, okay." Ellone nodded, "Rayen is out chief medic working on SeeDs. He can show-"

"Also," He cut her off. "I need you to send me into Laguna's past one more time."

Selphie's head popped up to that, "What the fuck!?"

"Squall, I don't think that's a good idea." Ellone spoke quietly.

"Sis, please." Squall insisted, "I need to know."

"Know what exactly?" Selphie stormed over to them.

Squall finally noticed her, not expecting to find her here. "I need to find out the truth. If Laguna's really gone…"

"What makes you think that's a good idea?" Selphie asked him, maybe a little too harshly.

He growled, "Stay out of this, Selphie."

"No," Selphie protested, confused as to what had brought this on. They had come half way across the world to see Ellone. Great, she was standing right here. She was alive and okay, but having her send him into the past would prove nothing for their cause. A whole palace had fallen on the man, how could someone possibly live through that?

"Squall, can we have a sidebar for a sec?' Selphie asked and pulled him by the hand just a few feet away from his sister.

"What the hell?" He asked quietly.

"Tell me we didn't just cross half the world for you to ask her to send you into the past to see your father's last moments."

"I don't get why this is a problem." He replied, annoyed.

"Why wouldn't it be!?" She snapped.

"Selphie," He sighed, "I didn't think you'd understand."

Her emeralds narrowed accusingly at him, "_I _wouldn't understand? Um, who do you think you're talkin' to?"

"Look," Squall levelled his gaze with hers and wasn't going to tiptoe around what he was about to say. "It's my _father. _It's not exactly the same, okay?"

Selphie backed away, offended. How _dare _he compare their losses!? Her friends in Trabia were her _family. _And throwing her lack of parentage in her face like they had grown up differently? Like they _were _different! Squall was hitting below the belt, and she wasn't going to sit back and smile as if it didn't bother her.

"How _dare_ you!" She said loudly enough for Ellone's eyes to dart their way. "That's low, Squall, even for you."

"Selphie, I-" he tried to say as the shorter girl made her way around him towards the door.

Selphie shook her head to give him one last glare, "No, Squall! Save it! I'm done listenin' to you!"

Before he could even go after her, Selphie was gone, and Ellone was staring at him in disbelief.

"What?"

"You know you might as well have been an orphan." Ellone said with a bite and took a few steps towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

Ellone stopped and sighed, "You said you wanted to see the SeeDs, right?"

* * *

><p><strong>Fisherman's HorizonWestside of the Bridge**

**0002 hrs **

Word came in under an hour ago. They had to move fast. Their information was right. The enemy was on their way.

Zell stood next to the doorway of an abandoned home with his back pressed against the wall. His body was shrouded in shadows, and his usual battle attire was left at Vaughn's.

Instead he had on UA issued battle gear consisting of black kevlar padding over a black jumpsuit. His vest was lightweight and bullet proof and had a pouch for small items like potions and remedies. Strapped to his sides was a pistol and a seven inch knife that he hoped he didn't have to use. He had his trusty Ehrgeiz to get him through this fight.

"Ya ready for this?" Irvine asked him through his ear piece.

"Better question is, are you?" He snickered, feeling the adrenaline bubble in his stomach.

The cowboy scoffed, "Can't wait. Aiden n' I are gonna play a game of 'shoot out'. Loser buys a round a' strippers and booze."

Zell rolled his eyes at that. If Squall heard that comment, he would have chewed him out for his unprofessionalism. Then again, Squall always got on his case whenever they got assigned missions together.

_When the hell are you gonna get here, man?_

"Jus' focus, guys." Riki's voice came on sounding irritated.

Zell turned his head to find Selene on the other side of the door clutching her staff. She was the assigned medic for their small group of four. A SeeD and a resistance member armed with semi-automatics also teamed up with them. Angelus anticipated that the west side of FH would feel the full force of the attacks. Teams stacked with all even numbers mixed between SeeDs and resistance fighters. This area was already secure, on lockdown, waiting for the fight to start.

They built an invisible wall of fighters, hiding on rooftops and inside abandoned structures. By the time the galbadians entered the city, everyone would jump out and ambush them. Half would attack from the ground, others were up top ready to snipe soldiers out.

When Vaughn's voice cut through the white noise in his ear, Zell perked up. "First sign. They're coming in fast. They've reached the edge of the Horizon Bridge. Men count…."

Zell took in a breath, his eyes flashing over to Selene. "In the hundreds! Send out squads A through F. GO!"

"That's us!" Zell hollered, rushing out of the house with his team behind him. "Let's kick some ass!"

Irvine and Aiden exchanged amused glances, ready to start their game. In Garden, Irvine had heard stories of another talented sharpshooter, but they had never met. Through the grapevine, the word was that the kid could shoot straight at over a hundred yards.

Talented, sure, but not as good as him.

When Vaughn made the call, they had seen Galbadia coming from in a black and blue swarm. Like an infectious disease, spreading out as far as they could see from their position on a rooftop. Galbadia's numbers outmatched theirs, at least from this side anyways. Irvine didn't want to know what they had in store coming from Esthar.

He settled his weapon, eye through the scope, and finger anxiously brushing the trigger.

And then their game began.

* * *

><p>Angelus made a quick trip over to the Eastside with a Echo and Rodney trailing him. Despite having this side secure as well, James paced across cracked pavement. He looked anxious.<p>

"The fighting's started." Angelus told him, "In case you haven't figured that out."

"Then why am I ova here?" He snapped, raising his sword towards where the battle began to rage on. "I should be cuttin' down Galbadian scum not prancin' 'round in tha dirt!"

Angelus shrugged, "Orders are orders."

James seethed, getting in his face, "I don't answer to ya, asshole!"

Angelus raised a brow, "Oh? And who _do _you answer to? Squall? He isn't here, but when he does, he needs a welcoming party."

"A welcomin'…" James scoffed. "And when will that be?"

"Soon, I hope." Angelus replied, casually, "Oh, and these two are helping you out."

"Hey, wait a sec…" Rodney trailed off. Neither knew that this was part of the plan.

Before Angelus made his way to his parked car, he flashed his crooked smirk, "Orders boys. Cesar sends his regards."

"I don't need these two blokes!" James burst.

"Hey!" Echo growled.

"That's not nice…" Rodney mumbled.

Angelus rolled his eyes, "Look, you're gonna need all the help you can get against Seifer."

"Oh," James chuckled, "You're leavin' Seifer to me, eh?"

Angelus blinked, "No, capture him. I want him alive. I want his blood on _my_ hands. Understood?"

"Sure." James saluted him. "No problem."

"Good." Angelus turned the key, the black SUV rumbling to life. James waited for the car to drive out of sight before addressing the two UA soldiers.

"If we find Seifer, he's mine."

Echo protested, "But Angelus just said-"

A wicked grin crossed his face. "Haven't they eva told ya in Underground school that it doesn't matter how the job gets done, so as long as it's _done. _He'll die anyways. Who cares who does it?"

* * *

><p>The wound was exactly what he had expected. It looked just like the one on Jenkins, long with burns and a gunshot. Each SeeD he had inspected, which made this the sixth one, had a tattoo of the Balamb SeeD insignia. The tattoo's design marred through by their wounds.<p>

Each story was different. Some SeeDs got caught in crossfire, explosions, and even on patrols with Estharian soldiers. The one detail that remained consistent was how they believed to be specifically targeted.

Everything fell into place now. It all made perfect sense. Seifer was Rinoa's knight. They wanted SeeD dead, and Rinoa was falsely accusing Squall for killing her father. They went after Esthar and Laguna. _His _father.

Their goal was obvious now. They were trying to draw Squall out of hiding.

Rinoa had gone way too far.

The fear of sorceresses derived from their unpredictable nature. They all started as normal women until their powers grew so strong that they overtook their judgment and actions. It happened with Adel, it happened with Edea and Ultimecia. Rinoa was the last sorceress, and now it was happening to _her._

_This is all my fault._

Guilt ate at him. He had the chance to lock her away, but believed that she would be different. Rinoa wasn't a monster, she was caring, passionate, and just wanted to free the people in Timber. He missed the girl who pulled him onto the dance floor at his SeeD graduate ball. Now she was another sorceress hellbent on killing anyone who opposed her rule.

The wounded surrounded him, wrapped in field dressing and spread out on stretchers. The medical wing was full of people and doctors. All because of something he did two years ago. Squall refused to stand by, he needed to do something about this.

"Squall?" Ellone drew him from his thoughts, and her brother turned to her expectant expression.

"Who did this?" Squall asked the SeeD, who was delirious from the drugs he as on. When he realized how limiting it was for the man to speak, Squall asked another question. "Was it Seifer?"

The SeeD gulped and nodded. He moved his lips, and his body heaved trying to force the words out. "Message…fo…r…you."

Squall moved closer, "What is it?"

"C-Co..me out, lil…lion."

* * *

><p>Dobe rose from his seat at the dinner table when his door blew off its hinges. Outraged, he watched several men dressed in kevlar battle gear file into his home.<p>

"What is the meaning of this!?" He demanded.

Angelus stepped inside last, the soldiers moved aside to let him pass. "Mayor Dobe, I believe Mr. Leonhart warned you that a battle is about to start."

"What of it!?" He continued to shout, "This isn't a battleground! It's a pacifist nation damn it!"

Angelus cracked his knuckles, "Not anymore. The fighting's started, and you can't be here when it ends."

"What the hell does that mean!?" The resistance members stepped forwards.

"Detain him." Angelus ordered. "His wife, too."

The group gathered around the two seniors, grabbing their limbs to push them out the door.

"You crazy bastards! This is _my _country! I will have the authorities do something about this!"

Angelus followed them outside as they were putting the Mayor and his wife into the vehicle.

_Better get this party started before Squall shows up._

* * *

><p>He coughed, and pain burst through his torso. His hands were firmly planted to the ground as he peeled his cheek from the gravel. His dark eyes scanned the dimly lit room, trying to remember what happened.<p>

He was in a meeting with Laguna and the financial council when the whole palace shook under their feet. The last thing the dark skinned male could remember was the floor collapsing under them.

He coughed again, and his chest felt like shards of glass were scraping his windpipe.

"Ghraa..." His ears perked up to the sound of a groan. It was more of a cry, a way of communicating.

Aside from a broken flickering light, he could make out the silhouette of a large man. "...Ward?"

He nodded in response. "Grahhh."

Kiros blinked, panic setting in when he couldn't locate his other friend, "W-where's Laguna!?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Hi! Long time no see! I've been super busy with other projects and finally got around to releasing this puppy. So everything in this chapter is to set up the events coming up. And there is a lot more coming up! We've reached the last quarter of the story, and the climax is about to start.

What have I been doing?

Well, I've been also planning out a few of the other stories in this series. After this one is complete, I'll be moving onto Liberation. It's the sister fic to this one explaining Rinoa's side of the story. It wont be as long as this. Like some of the other stories I have scheduled before I release the official sequel to this one, those wont be too long. The official sequel to this story is called UNDERGROUND STORIES: A BLOODHOUNDS GAME, which is expected to be just as long as this one.

It's gonna be a while to get all this done, but bear with me. At least the crazy ride isn't over in this story, but I'm planning to have all the writing done well before it gets posted for more frequent updates.

Hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews, and I'll see some of you on Tumblr! I'm prasino45scribbles, if you don't know.

Review and Happy Reading!


	28. Phase XXVII: The Risks We Take

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXVII<strong>

**The Risks We Take **

**Esthar City/ Somewhere Deep in the Wreckage**

**Time Unknown**

A cough jolted him awake, and pain tore across his limbs and head. He couldn't move for what felt like hours as he tried to open his eyes and focus. All he could see were glass shards and concrete. His nostrils and mouth filled with dust. There was also a coppery bile in the back of his throat.

The man rolled onto his stomach, but groaned as pain shot up his leg, and not how it usually did when he got nervous. With one leg out of commission, he tested his arms next. Both were wobbly and weak, but nothing broken there.

Ignoring the stiffness in his back, he pried himself off the ground. Green eyes scanned the area around him through his dark bangs.

"…wha…" He tried to say, but between the bile and dust, talking proved to be a feat in itself. "What…ha-happened?"

His mind tried to answer the question, but his thoughts were like scrambled eggs. The last thing he remembered was presenting in front of the financial councillors. Something about public work projects, budgets on housing in the city, and all that jazz.

"Laguna!" He heard someone call his name. Laguna tried to stand up straight, but his leg gave out again. His back slammed against a broken concrete slab, rattling his brain. Dark spots clouded the edges of his vision.

"Hey, man." Kiros' voice was clearer now, and he felt a hand shake his shoulder.

When his eyes peeled open, relief overcame confusion. His friends were okay, battered and bleeding, but okay. "Hey…guys."

"Ward says, 'You're lucky to be alive.'" Kiros smiled. "Reminds him of that time you jumped off a cliff."

Even under the rubble, battered beyond recognition, Laguna still had his sense of humour. A light chuckle escaped his lips, flipping the bird at his friend. "Screw you, man."

"Well, least we know he didn't hit his head too hard." Kiros looked over at Ward and nodded, "Ward says-"

"What the hell happened?" Laguna cut him off when everything finally sunk in.

"Don't know." Kiros looked around, "But we need to get outta here. We should try to contact Quistis."

"How? We're six feet under." Laguna shifted trying to get to his feet. When he felt pain take the air out from his lungs, he realized he'd broken a rib, too. He clenched his teeth and let out a growl. His aching head pounded, and his stomach wanted to unleash what he had for breakfast.

"Come on." Kiros sighed, lifting Laguna up carefully, "There has to be a way outta here."

After realizing all the main entrances of the palace had been blocked off, they took a break. The air was still thick with dust and harsh chemicals. Jagged beams of concrete and glass created obstacles they had to manoeuvre around.

With Laguna's critical injuries, moving at a faster pace wouldn't do much good for him. From what Kiros could see his best friend was fading fast.

Propped up against a wall, Laguna's chest rose and fell. He was groggy, weak, and was sweating profusely leaving his dark brown hair stringy. Ward offered him a look of concern, which lead to Kiros kicking the man's shoe to wake him up.

It took a few attempts, and the usually energetic man opened his eyes into tired slits. In his time on the battlefield, Kiros had spent his fair share around the wounded. He knew when a man was starting to lose it from the pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. Fever or infection were likely, but in this case Laguna had lost a considerable amount of blood. They wrapped his leg and torso up in whatever robes they had off their backs to keep the bleeding under control.

"Laguna, man," Kiros urged, "You need to stay awake. That head injury isn't helpin' you much."

"M' fine." He groaned, "W-where…are we?"

"Under the palace." Kiros replied, "Ward said that." The other man grunted.

"S…Squ…" Laguna tried to say. Kiros moved over to his side, and the brightness in Laguna's eyes was going out. "Te..tell him I-love him. I…forgive him."

"I wont, man." Kiros said with a sigh, "Don't talk like that."

Ward groaned, and Kiros narrowed his eyes at him, "No, Ward! Watch your mouth! We'll make it out! Laguna, you hear me?" He shoved his friend, "You'll tell Squall yourself!"

When Laguna didn't reply, Kiros shouted his name. "Laguna!"

* * *

><p>Squall bolted up from his cot, gasping for air.<p>

"Whoa!" Ellone pressed his chest down until his back hit the mattress. "Slow down."

The glint in Squall's eyes was warning enough.

Squall held her by the shoulders. "Sis, I saw him! Laguna's alive!"

* * *

><p><strong>FHWestside of Horizon Bridge**

**0230 hrs FHST**

They all came down like dominos. One after the other, shot down from where they stood. Irvine had a hard time keeping up with the tally, but he was 100% sure he was winning their game.

"More comin' in from the south side there." Aiden muttered, reloading before he started shooting soldiers again. There were too many, some getting through the constant line of fire from the snipers on the rooftops. Some got through between shots and were left for their ground troops to take care of.

Irvine could see the ground guys fighting back in a dark swarm. The sounds of battle was like music to his ears bringing to back memories of the last sorceress war.

"Think the sorceress will come out?" Aiden asked him, cocking his head. Two down.

"Doubt it." Another three fired, another three shot.

A rumble came from behind them, and the doorway burst open. Galbadian soldiers stepped through, pointing their guns at them.

The two men looked at each other. Aiden raised a brow, "Game over?"

Irvine smirked, "Party's just gettin' started!"

* * *

><p>"What do you mean!?" Quistis shouted, "You <em>saw <em>him!? Where!?"

"The palace." Squall said, "Kiros and Ward are with him, too."

Quistis nodded, "Okay, we'll send out a search party, but we _have_ to be covert. We can't attract any attention from the enemy if we do this."

"We need to hurry! He's injured!" Ellone exclaimed. "Whatever you can do, Quisty. _Please._"

"And Squall? It might not be a good idea for you to go out there." Quistis told him. "If Seifer gets wind that you're in Esthar..."

Squall was conflicted, he didn't want to run anymore. He'd take Seifer on anytime, and this time was no exception. "There's no way I'm staying behind."

"Have you seen what he's done to those SeeDs!?" Quistis shouted, "I don't need another one carted in here with his life hanging by a thread!"

"But-"

"Squall," Ellone said, grabbing his forearm, "Please, for once listen to what she's saying."

"Sis-"

"I'm not losing you again!"

Squall growled, eyeing his sister who showed no signs of backing down. "Fine."

_I'm sorry, Sis._

* * *

><p>Zell flipped a guy here. Nailed one right in the head with his elbow there, he turned his body dodging an incoming swipe of a blade. It whooshed over him, severing some hairs off his head. He rolled across the ground, leg out, and tripping his opponent. For only a few seconds, the soldier was disoriented, but reached for his fallen blade.<p>

"Oh no ya don't!" Zell shouted, slamming his foot into his hand hard enough to hear the cracking of all 27 bones. The soldier cried out in agony as Zell snatched his weapon by the handle and stabbed it into his back.

He dropped the blade, paying no mind to the fallen soldier and moved onto the next. The soldier he just took down was part of a squad, and all the others came running at him with guns and blades drawn.

Mustering up the anger that boiled inside him, Zell felt energy around his hand grow until it burst out. An inferno scorched the area, taking down four other soldiers in the process.

"Zell!" His head snapped to the side, seeing Selene having trouble keeping a few of them back. He jumped into the fray, but his heels skidded to a stop when the soldier gruffly grabbed her, pinning her to him. The point of a pistol against her temple. "Move and she dies!"

Zell stood frozen, eyes staring into Selene's. She didn't hide her fear in that moment, silently begging him to help her. "Let her go!" Zell cried out, taking the gun strapped to his belt out without thinking.

The soldier laughed, and so did a few of his friends around him. The gun nuzzled into her skin harder, his finger gingerly stroking the trigger. "Grow a pair all of a sudden?"

His boot ground into the dirt, blue eyes assessing the situation. He could kill one of his friends, that would cause a diversion, and maybe...just _maybe _he'd let her go.

Zell inhaled deeply, never breaking eye contact with his enemy. With a swift jerk of the wrist, Zell pulled the trigger, hoping he'd hit his target.

He shut his eyes tightly. Selene cried out.

His heart leaped into his mouth as he heard a body drop. In fact, when his eyes opened again he found two laying on the ground. Selene sat there next to one of them, the one guy who had been holding her, but she wasn't looking at him.

"Oh my god!" She screamed in horror, "Zell!"

He was on the ground, too, and everything went black.

* * *

><p>The estharian soldier swiped his hand across the screen, validating his credentials. The door slid open revealing a dark control room. The overnight shift involved countless hours staring and analyzing security cameras. Particularly those located within the shelter and its surrounding areas.<p>

He settled in, typing away at the large keyboard starting with his login and password. Once entered, the soldier sat back staring up at the main screen.

A hand clamped over his mouth from behind his head rest, pulling him backwards and out of his seat. He struggled against the intruders hold, flailing his arms and legs.

_"Sleep." _Was the last thing he heard before he passed out.

"That was easy." Squall muttered. Undressing the soldier, Squall eyed the screen in front of him. It looked like soldiers were gathering in the hanger, preparing for departure.

_Bingo._

* * *

><p>In the hanger, two squads were settling into hover crafts. Squall slipped passed the leader, sitting in the back. Nobody noticed him with this uniform and helmet on.<p>

_I have to do this. Hope you understand, Sis. _He thought, feeling the hover jerk to a start. _There's no way I'm staying behind. _

The leader at the front had on the same uniform as the guy who interrogated him. He spoke fluent Esthari to his men, leaving Squall oblivious as to what was going on. The only word he could understand was Laguna's name.

The convoy had no windows, so he couldn't tell where they were going. He damned well hoped they were going to the palace ruins.

After thirty minutes of sitting still, the leader stood up and made a grunting sound. Squall assumed he was telling them to prepare themselves. The hover jerked to a stop moments later, Squall tried not to move his head, keeping his gaze straight. The leader strolled past him, exiting the hover as the ramp descended.

When everyone started filing out, Squall followed behind. He made sure to mimic their straight posture and march to draw less attention to himself.

Outside was dark, cold, and damp. It must have been late into the night now. He thought Timber was creepy, but Esthar didn't even look like a city anymore. The city core had got hit the hardest from the attacks, leaving the palace in shambles. Squall sniffed, smelling strong notes of burnt flesh and ember.

_What the hell happened here? _

The stench was strong, too strong to be from the attacks. Too fresh as if their enemy were burning bodies just _hours _ago. Squall maintained his pace in line, waiting for his next order. He may not have understood what their leader was saying, but he knew how to read body language well enough. Another lesson he took as a cadet.

_Looks like everyone's breaking up. Better get the team headed to the palace. _

After the leader addressed the group, they broke off to search the area for survivors. Squall was one of the last paired off into a team, one that just had to inspect the area around them. That wouldn't do at all. He _needed _to search the ruins, with or without a team.

The soldiers he was partnered with gestured towards a random direction. A residential area of the downtown core. Squall swore under his breath when he noticed the leader staring at him. He marched into line with the other estharians ready to search the condos.

Squall's main objective was going to have to wait.

* * *

><p>The moon illuminated through a broken window above his head when his eyes fluttered open. He'd been laying on an old bed, unable to move his upper body. He had a hard time trying to remember what happened and how he'd even gotten in here.<p>

"Do not move." He was told, and his head settled into the mattress. Zell let a sigh escape his lips. The sounds of battle outside the window was a reminder that the fight wasn't over yet.

This was wrong.

His comrades, his friends were out there fighting for their lives, and Zell was laying in a bed. Zell clenched his fists, glaring at the ceiling as Selene tinkered with something next to him.

"Selene, I need'a be out there." He tried to convince her, but she wasn't having any of it.

She shifted over to him, cleaning the bullet hole in his chest with a cotton swab. He hissed in response. He'd also endured a series of minor cuts on his face and arms, even a slash of a blade that he'd never noticed til now. Blame the adrenaline.

"Zell," Selene sighed heavily, shaking her head while her eyes inspected the wound. "You went into shock and lost a fair share of blood."

Her face was close to his, and her fingers gently tapped his bare skin. Zell tried to control himself. Now wasn't the time or place to be thinking or feeling such things for her.

But still...she saved his life.

"You brought me here?"

She nodded, honey eyes looking into his blue ones, "I could not leave you there. I was...scared."

Zell smirked, "See? I always bounce back. No need to worry 'bout me."

Selene knitted her brows together and whimpered. For a moment, she ignored his wounds, temporarily forgot the situation they were in. She didn't want any of this. Selene was tired of fighting, but she cared deeply for a SeeD. A dangerous dilemma indeed. SeeDs were on Rinoa's wanted list. Being affiliated with one brought on its own complications, and she knew this well.

It didn't matter though. It never did. Not with them.

Zell's smirk disappeared when her forehead pressed his. Selene was hesitant, conflicted. Time slowed down as he watched her close her eyes. He could feel the tingling sensation of a Curaga spell mend his wounds until he was brand new again. It was too bad the spell couldn't quell the nausea he was feeling at the moment.

_If we die today, I outta get this over with. _

Their lips touched briefly before the static of his comm-link crackled to life.

"Ya there?" Zell exchanged a look with Selene. "...Are ya there, Rouge?"

"Y-yes!" She said, grabbing the mic. "I am. Zell is fine."

_She must have called me in. _

"Thank Hyne!" He finally recognized the voice as Riki's, "Look, we're takin' over the ol' train station as our base. If ya can, get there quick. Selene, we got some guys who need a medic stat!"

"Okay!" She nodded, "We will..."

"We'll figure somethin' out. Don't worry!"

"Zell, ya able to fight?"

He looked to Selene, "He'll be fine."

"Then let's go." He smiled, and she nodded in return.

* * *

><p>The laser of his gun travelled across inanimate objects in the room as they walked into it. This was the fifth suite they searched and had yet to find any survivors. Just a few bodies killed in cold blood by galbadian troops on patrols. The estharians had yet to secure this area as it was in the heart of enemy territory.<p>

Many of the SeeD attacks took place around here, which explained Quistis' hesitation. In that moment, Squall knew she was right about him being here. The last thing he needed was for Galbadia to show up and find out he was posing as an estharian soldier.

But he was too stubborn to care. He needed to find his father and fast.

The soldier he was paired up stepped in front of him, taking point as he ventured into the next room. Squall took this opportunity, following closely behind. The door shut behind him, leaving the two alone. Squall slammed the locking device, and the sound of a click drew his partner's attention. He said something in esthari, alerted by Squall's actions. The lion stalked closer, pulling his blaster on him. "You'll do exactly as I say. Understood?"

The soldier hesitated, confused. Squall fired to his left, knocking his gun out of his hands. It clattered onto the tile, metal sizzling from the shot. The soldier panned his vision between his busted weapon to Squall's approaching figure.

He spoke in esthari, and Squall stopped his gait just short of him.

"You speak english?"

He waved his hands, stuttering. "Y-yez!"

"Good. Listen to me carefully." Squall spoke slowly, "You will tell me how to get to the Palace."

"A-and if I do not?"

Another shot, this time just to the right of him. Squall came at him, pointing the barrel against his helmet, grabbing a fist full of his light blue uniform. "They say these can penetrate Titanium..."

"Zeven blockz norv..." The words tumbled from his mouth.

"What did you say!?" He slammed the gun's handle into the soldier's helmet.

"Zat iz how you get zer!" He shouted. "Keep go-ing norv...you vill zee ze palaze."

Squall released him, "Good."

The soldier watched him begin to the leave the room, but jolted in fright when Squall turned around. Another shot zapped out, this time hitting him in the leg. "I was never here."

* * *

><p>Selphie woke up in the middle of the night. She'd spent the last few hours tossing and turning. Sighing, she threw her legs off her cot, and pulled the curtains of her cubicle aside. She strolled into the pathway between other white cubicles where patients were resting. Doctors did their nightly rounds to tend to the wounded. She wondered if Rayen was out tonight doing the same thing.<p>

She roamed around aimlessly for what felt like hours, but it could have been less. She was wide awake, thinking about what had happened earlier.

Selphie was still pissed at Squall. She had every right to be. He was a _jerk._ A huge freakin' _jerk! _

Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered with a guy like him. Squall was cold, stubborn, and had no idea how to treat a girl. He wasn't boyfriend material at all.

_Boyfriend? Is Squall even my boyfriend now? _

She scoffed. Even though they had been sharing a bed since they left Winhill and kissed a few times, she still wasn't so sure. He had a terrible track record with relationships.

"Hey, you."

Selphie lifted her head to find Quistis standing over her from her spot on the floor.

"Hi Quisty!" Selphie grinned as Quistis sat next to her. "What's up?"

She sighed, "Just busy. You know, trying to keep this place from falling apart."

"Sounds rough. I would've lost my head by now." Selphie replied.

"Believe me, I almost have a few times." Quistis chuckled, "How have you been?"

"Could be better, but y'know, survivin'." Selphie tried to keep the smile on her face to hide how physically exhausted she was.

"I bet. You've been through a lot."

The small brunette laughed, "Yeah. One minute I'm partying with my roommate, the next I'm escaping Dollet with Squall and Zell."

"Zell? You were with him, too?" She raised her brows, "Why didn't he come with you?"

Selphie tried to avoid eye contact with her, "Uh...cause we didn't have much time. We kinda just left. I feel bad about it, but Squall really needed to come here."

Quistis raised a blonde brow at her.

She deflated, "Okay, I _may _have convinced Squall to let me come, too. What? I couldn't let him go it alone. That's be stupid. He'd be stupid...he _is _stupid."

A burst of laughter erupted from Quistis' chest at Selphie's reaction. "It makes sense now!"

"Oh no, not you, too!" Selphie exclaimed, "Ellone has already given me the third degree, okay!?"

A glimmer or a tear, Selphie couldn't tell which, sparkled in Quistis' eyes. "It's just...I _never _saw this coming! I mean...you and _him?" _

Green eyes glared at her, which was something Selphie almost never did to anyone. Except for Squall...

"Yeah, me neither. Believe me, I was pleasantly surprised when he- know what? Nevermind!" Selphie crossed her arms looking away with a pout.

"Oh my Hyne!" Quistis poked her shoulder, "You're even-"

Selphie realized what she was doing, huffed and all red faced. "Shut up! I am not!"

"Quistis!" The blonde commander sobered up to find Ellone rushing towards her looking concerned.

"What's wrong?" She stood.

"Squall's gone!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** You know what I JUST realized as I was editing this today? TODAY IS LAGUNA'S BIRTHDAY! And I posted this! Yes guys! Laguna is alive! You have no idea how hard it was not to tell you about this! That cannon character was him!

Okay, so in the original drafts of this story Laguna was supposed to die when Esthar was attacked. Squall was going to get word about it and the events following were going to be different starting from White Lilies, but I had to change it mid editing. This took MONTHS to fix because as I was posting, I had to fine tune the story to cater to this change, and it was a HUGE job to do. I'm glad I kept him going because when I wrote the flash back scenes about the last time Squall and Laguna spoke, I felt like I needed to push Laguna's character further. It wasnt fair for me, you, or him to leave him out of Underground Stories.

I tip my hat and say "Welcome back, Laguna. Happy Birthday!"

Thanks for the reviews, support, and love for this story. Be sure to keep them coming as I always reply to signed reviews even if you send me a hundred or you comment on every chapter. I love engaging with you guys.

Anyway, happy reading, happy new year!


	29. Phase XXVIII: Behind Enemy Lines

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXVIII<strong>

**Behind Enemy Lines**

Esthar City/ 4 Miles Away From Presidential Palace

00:22 hrs EST

The terrain was damp, the glass of buildings crunching under his white boots as he ran. It still smelt of burnt amber, and the closer he got it became heavier in the air. Buildings and streets became more unrecognizable, sitting in piles of rubble and dust.

Despite the bitter cold, sweat was dripping down his face, accumulating on his brow. He panted, climbing over obstacles, sidestepping large shards of glass, and hugging walls. The moon cast dark shadows in places to dwell in case the enemy showed up.

Squall stopped for a moment, gathering his senses and calculating his next direction. From this close, it became harder to locate the palace, as it used to be prominent above the cityscape.

"Almost there." He muttered, "Just keep going north."

After a few moments of much needed rest, Squall pushed himself off the wall with his rifle in hand. Stepping out from behind it, Squall's stomach jumped into his throat. A crooked grin in a Galbadian blue uniform greeted him.

_Shit. _

"Look what we got 'ere."

Squall wasn't a man to waste time on formalities or small talk. When he felt the soldier roughly grab his arm, he backhanded him with a closed fist in return. His opponent stumbled back giving Squall the advantage to strike him again. As the soldier held onto his face to recover, Squall made a run for it in the other direction.

The sounds and hollers of his enemies grew louder behind him. Bullets sunk into the pavement and picked up dust in the process. Squall drew his gun, blindly shooting its laser while trying to get away. The dust in the air and shots fired created a cloud of smoke, impairing his enemy's vision. The sound of a blood curdling scream told Squall he'd hit a target.

"That motherfucka's armed!"

"Where'd he go!?"

"Get 'em!"

Squall took a sharp left down another street. He could hear their boots, warning him that his plan only caused a slight diversion.

"Over 'ere!"

The men ran in a stampede, guns drawn, and red lasers pointing in every direction. They scouted the area, breaking off into teams of two. He could hear them shouting commands at each other and pointing blame for Squall's escape.

He could feel and hear the blood pumping in his ears, his hot uniform sticking to his skin. The men disappeared down another street leaving Squall to find refuge in a crumbled home. The furniture was all upturned, debris of fallen concrete from the floor above scattered in the middle of the room. The sound of something leaking echoed faintly from the kitchen nearby.

_First things first, t__ake this helmet off. _

As he did so, pain erupted from the left side of his body, pulling at a wound he was only now aware of. Squall winced, finally looking down at it. His hand pulled away from the bullet hole in his side, blood staining the white amour and fabric. Pain was setting in quick meaning his adrenaline rush was wearing off.

"Fuck..." his voice came out shaky before taking in a sharp inhale.

That's when everything went black.

* * *

><p>Quistis had enough of this.<p>

She was at her wits end, and the moment Squall Leonhart got back to this base, she'd kill him herself.

She had told him. She _told _him- _specifically told him_- not to go out there. That's when they discovered the naked soldier lying unconscious on the security room floor.

_Why_ was she so surprised? From what Selphie had told her and what she'd seen herself, Squall had gone _fucking _insane.

"Quisty!" Her blonde head snapped up from her paperwork, Selphie rushing into the room looking very distressed.

Seeing their usual ray of sunshine in this state was never a good sign. "I just tried callin' him a bunch'a times, went to voice mail. Squall left his phone on his cot."

"I've contacted the platoon. The captain is questioning his own men." Quistis replied disdainfully. "What the hell is he thinking?"

"Think?" Selphie echoed, "Squall isn't. That's the problem!"

"Squall's out there fighting to find Uncle Laguna." Ellone stated from behind Selphie, her eyes puffy from crying and hair in a tangled mess.

"Elle..."

"If there is anyone who can find him, Squall will."

Quistis stared her down through the lenses of her glasses, "Then we have to do something."

* * *

><p>Squall jolted awake, breathing heavily, and his mind racing. His eyes desperately searched around while his thoughts pieced together what had happened.<p>

He was fading in and out from blood loss, his left leg was stained red. Between blank thoughts, Squall cursed himself for being stupid enough to go it alone. Having Selphie around would have been more of an asset than an inconvenience.

Panting, Squall's blue eyes reluctantly look down at the agonizing wound. He'd been through worse, sure, but under the circumstances he was _fucked._

He was gasping now, panic starting to set in. Squall tried to shake it off, focusing his eyes on his right shoulder. In the blue padding of his uniform, a compartment was designed to hold medical supplies. Estharians designed infantry uniforms with multiple pods for easy access in case of injury.

Squall hadn't even bothered until now to look into any of them. What he found in the first one was a roll of gauze and some pain killers, but he still needed something small to cut with.

He located the kitchen just under 10 feet away. Standing proved to be a feat in itself in comparison to before. Squall leveraged himself off the wall behind him. He stumbled forward, landing his weight on his left leg. Almost collapsing onto the floor, the world was spinning around him. He swallowed down what he had for dinner and slowly made his way to the next room.

The small kitchen was left ransacked, but he still held out hope that the utensil drawer was stacked. He pulled out drawers, opening cupboards, feeling around for anything that could help. Pulling at one of the handles of a jammed drawer, the clinking of objects told him he'd found it.

"As Riki would say...jackpot." He chuckled.

Grabbing a dinner knife, Squall steadily sat himself onto the broken tiled floor. His back pressed against the fridge.

His eyes took in the small knife for a moment before taking out the gauze. SeeD at least taught him to be resourceful. Cutting the gauze up, enough to stop the bleeding, Squall took half the roll and stuck it in his mouth.

He carefully peeled away layers of the uniform, finding his white undershirt completely red up his left side. Lifting up the damp fabric, he found the offending hole. It hit tissue, but no major artery or intestine. He sighed, bracing himself for what came next.

The worst part was, it had to be careful and slow. The tip of the knife entered the hole, digging for the bullet. Immediately, Squall screamed against the gauze, which thankfully muffled his voice. White hot flashes crossed his vision, his body spasming as he tried to feel for the bullet.

The tip hit something and scraped against it. Squall repositioned the knife slightly and dug into skin, widening the hole. When he could feel the bullet move, he pushed at a strange angle. His body was shaking, nausea fully taking over, and his skin and hair were damp. Squall continued to scream, eyes shut tight and tears burning his lids.

Finally, he felt it exit and roll off his leg in a bloody mess. Panting in relief, he gave himself a few moments before he could move a limb, let alone look at the throbbing wound. He waited for his body to calm down, yet urged himself not to pass out. Time ticked away, and Squall had no idea how much time had passed, but gave himself enough to gather his senses.

"C-cura...ga."

A green and white ambience surrounded his left hand, slowly repairing the damage. Intoxicated, Squall felt his pain for the most part fade, leaving a dull ache in his left side. The area was left tender and bruised and would definitely leave a scar.

_Just another for the collection. _

Before he set course for his destination again, Squall popped the painkillers into his mouth. He used the gauze to clean himself up a bit before attempting to stand.

He was weak and lightheaded from the blood loss, and medical attention was still required. Sooner rather than later.

When he was ready, he exited the home and disembarked towards the palace again.

* * *

><p>"Take a seat." A female tech told Selphie, motioning towards one next to a large round table in the centre of the room. She obliged, curiously watching Quistis' technicians hard at work in front of various screens. The information they were monitoring was all in some kind of code and in diagrams.<p>

"What's all this?" Selphie asked the blonde next to her. Quistis gave her a wary glance.

"Ma'am." The female bowed, her accent clearly not estharian. A male regarded them with the same amount of respect.

"This Anita and Kal." Quistis spoke, "They will operate the hologram sphere."

Selphie blinked in wonder, staring at the table. "A hologram sphere? _This_ thing?"

The sphere lit up into a 3D model that slowly constructed itself. Anita and Kal took their seats as well, rotating the model and zooming in on certain areas. The model was of the entire city in its current state. Selphie could make out the rubble and destroyed buildings. In the centre was the palace almost flattened into the earth.

"The soldier's ID number was E-67827." Quistis stated, "Bring up a map of all sectors around the palace within a 20 mile radius."

"Ma'am." Anita replied, and a series of moving green dots twinkled across the landscape. Red ones dominated most areas, clustering around the palace itself.

"Do you think this'll work?" Selphie asked.

Quistis flashed her a wavering glance. "Every soldier has a tracking device in their helmet. If we locate the soldier with that ID number, we'll find Squall."

Anita typed in the number, which prompted all green dots to have call outs of their respective IDs.

"How do we know which one is Squall? I don't see that number anywhere, Quisty." Selphie told her upon a closer look.

Quistis found this strange, "Zoom in. Scan the parameter of the palace directly. Five miles."

The model grew larger, concentrating around the centre of the city. There were hardly any green markers in this area- all they could see was red. The enemy had a strong hold around the palace.

Selphie searched the surrounding districts and then stopped. Something didn't look right. "Zoom in more."

Anita and Kal exchanged glances before they obeyed her.

"More...closer...There!" Selphie couldn't tear her eyes away from it. The ID number E-67827 contrasted with the blue grid that formed the city.

Unlike the rest of the green markers, this one wasn't moving.

_He can't be. No, he _can't _be! _It felt like a bucket of ice was dumped over Selphie's head, and all she could do was stare at the white lettering.

"Selphie..." Quistis whispered, touching her shoulder in an attempt to shake her from her daze.

"Dispatch a hover. I'm going in." She finally replied.

"Absolutely not!" Quistis snapped, "I won't let-"

"Is that what you told him, too? If so, spare me!" Selphie erupted and jumped out of her seat. "I won't let him die out there!"

"He could already be dead, Selphie! You go out there, you'll die, too!"

Selphie made for the the exit, eyes narrowing at her friend. "If that's how it's gonna be..."

As she turned her back and ran out of sight, Quistis sighed and massaged her temples. "You two are perfect for each other."

"Ma'am?" Kal spoke.

Quistis realized everyone was looking to her for what came next. "These are your new orders!"

* * *

><p>His shoulder hit the wall beside him, Squall was exhausted. He may have closed the wound, but the blood loss was getting to his head. He blinked and swallowed, his throat dry.<p>

Squall pressed his back to the wall, eyes staring at the sky. He'd been in near death situations before, some of which he didn't quite think through. He hated to admit it, but maybe he was biting off more than he could chew.

Shaking his head to quiet the doubt, Squall pressed himself off the wall. Time and space blurred together as he worked around obstacles. It reminded him of that waste land in time compression. An endless mass of nothing, expect he was surrounded by destruction.

_Would this be the world Ultimecia would have wanted? _

Stepping into the mouth of another alleyway, the area in front of him opened up into a street. This one round as if it surrounded a whole area. His eyes picked up on the yellow, purple, and blue hues of architectural motifs and tinted windows.

The palace once stood suspended and overlooked the city core. Now, it was a flattened piece of rubble and glass.

_Holy Hyne..._

Taking in a steady inhale, Squall hugged his weapon to his chest, ready for anything to jump out at him. He scanned the area, slowly and gradually getting closer to the fallen structure.

Surveying the debris, Squall searched for anything that looked like an entrance. Strolling along the edge of the parameter, finding an obvious way in wasn't going to work.

_Just blast our own way in! You gotta gun, right? Put her to good use, yeah?_

Squall chuckled, almost hearing Selphie suggesting that to him in a situation like this. Shaking his head, Squall dropped to his knees and began to dig.

"Right and get myself killed out here. I do things my own way...even if it's not the easiest option._" _He mumbled as if she was standing right behind him.

Selphie had her hands crossed, impatiently waiting for him to hurry up. _Don't take so long then! I wanna see old age, y'know._

An amused smirk crossed his face, "Whatever."

_Click. _

"What was that, kid?"

He could feel the presence of another enemy standing right behind him now. Selphie was gone with the realization that she was never there to begin with.

_Fuck. _

"Put yer hands up, n' I wont kill ya." He thought the galbadian was joking

_What's wrong with me? _

The butt of the man's rifle collided into Squall's head, making the world spin faster. The first thing he could see was the ground, felt it under his temple. Crimson against the gravel mixed with glass explained why he had a sharp pain in the side of his face.

One boot kicked him in the chest hard, sending Squall flat on his back. There was no time to get air back in his lungs as the soldier stepped over him and pointed his barrel in Squall's face.

"Look what we got 'ere. One of dem SeeD savages. Our lady will be thrilled ta know that I got Leonhart himself."

Squall's eyes left the point of his gun and travelled up to the psychotic grin on the galbadian's face. The soldier started and laughed, "What? Ya don't think I recognized ya? Huh. A pretty buzz cut and an estharian uniform ain't enough, pal." The gun jabbed Squall right between the eyes hard and pressed into his scar.

"I'd know that scar anywhere. Looks just like the boss's. He talks 'bout ya'll the time. Leonhart is _this_...Leonhart is _that_...Leonhart's the reason the world's gone ta shit."

"...fucker." Squall ground out.

"What's that? Ya say somethin' to me, asshole?" The man was foolish to lean down.

A hard knee to the groin made the soldier double over in intense pain and set his gun off right next to Squall's ear. With ears ringing and his head already as disoriented as it was, Squall scampered to his feet. He grabbed a handful of blue kevlar in an attempted to wrestle the gun from the soldier's hand. His resistant grip had it in a locked fist, which only gave Squall one option.

If he wouldn't let go, then his arm had to come off.

A blue light solidified into the body of the Lionheart. The curvature of its black handle perfectly fit into Squall's right hand. The soldier's body stiffened, immediately regretting his actions and taunts.

All it took was a flick of his wrist, a swipe of the blade, to send the soldier to the ground in unbearable agony. "Ya lil fuck!" He screamed, holding his 'stump'. His gun and hand dropped to the ground between them in an ironic _thump_.

Squall crouched down next to him, watching him for a moment with no emotion displaying on his face. "I need to get inside."

The soldier snickered, "Like fuckin' hell I'ma tell ya that."

Squall said nothing, but picked up the soldier's gun and pointed it at his head. The soldier just stared at the teenager as if he suddenly turned into a Malboro.

"Fuck ya!"

_Click. _

The soldier quickly changed his tone. "...Up ahead. Y-Yer pretty close. There's some more guys ova there. I doubt ya'll make it though, ya bastard."

_BANG. _

Squall got to his feet, hoisting his gunblade onto his shoulder leaving a bloody mess behind.

* * *

><p>Selphie strode into the hanger with one thing on her mind.<p>

A seven man squad was about to disembark in a hover craft and gathering supplies for another long patrol. She made her way past their captain and a few other confused estharian soldiers.

She felt someone's hand clamp on her shoulder, but Selphie wasn't having any of it. Her body spun around and clocked him right across the face with her Nunchaku, reeling him to the metal floor.

The captain got in her face spewing meaningless sentences in estharian. Selphie raised her arms and snapped back, "Look, I don't know what your fuckin' sayin'! I need this ship! I need it right now!"

Four more hands latched onto her arms and dragged Selphie out of the hover kicking and screaming. "You don't get it! Didn't you hear me? L-lemme go!"

"Drop her."

Anyone wearing estharian white, went still as if someone just cast stop on them all. Selphie knew that wasn't the case when she fell hard on her ass.

Quistis strolled up to their captain. They exchanged words in estharian, which left Selphie surprised. She had no idea Quistis even knew the language.

_Guess that's part of the job. I wonder if Sir Laguna knows estharian? _

Quistis offered her friend a hand, and Selphie got to her feet with a questionable look on her face.

"If your going out there, you need a uniform and a team."

Selphie beamed before she sprang onto Quistis in a bear hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank youuuu!"

"Uh...Selphie?" Quistis choked, hinting at all the eyes watching them.

Selphie raised her brows and backed off, "Uh...right." She offered Quistis her hand in hopes to regain any kind of professionalism. "Thanks for this opportunity."

Quistis smirked, "It's okay. Just bring them home."

"Will do!"

The blonde stepped back, "Best of luck, Selph."

Selphie watched as Quistis was escorted out of the hanger by her advisors. The brunette enthusiastically spun around to her new 'crew'.

"Listen up! I'm in charge now! We need to get to that palace! Pronto!"

As she skipped past the captain, she scrutinized him, "You get to hold onto our extra inventory. _That's_ an order!"

The captain grumbled and took a seat in the back of the hover, making sure he was far away from this crazy girl as possible.

* * *

><p>He scrambled for cover, eyes peering over a jagged rock to find three guys strolling around. Casually, their guns hung limply in their hands, clearly bored of tonight's patrol. The area was quiet save for the sounds of mindless banter between two of them guarding a small entrance.<p>

Squall steadied his breath, knowing that the odds were not in his favour here. He still had his gun, and his gunblade shimmered eagerly at his side. Sighing, he knew that alone would easily blow his cover.

Sheathing it, he slowly moved towards the third soldier who meandered away from the others. After a few beats, Squall made his move. Jumping out from his cover, Squall grabbed the soldier from behind, covering his mouth. The soldier struggled, twisting his body in an attempt to break free. Squall's arm was already locked around his neck, restricting air flow. As his movements slowed and choking could be heard, Squall dragged the body away into the shadows. Motionless, the soldier dropped to the ground at his feet.

_One down. Now for those two assholes. _

They were still yapping away as if nothing had happened. Like a lion stalking its pray, Squall stayed low to the ground and out of their line of sight. He knew if he made too much noise it wouldn't just draw the attention of these two, but others in the area.

He was just to the right of them now, listening in on their conversation.

"So the boss used to be a SeeD, right?"

"Don't know much 'bout that."

"I guess he wasn't. Why would he be after SeeDs n' shit?"

"We don't got the liberty to know, we just shoot, got that?"

"Think 'bout it though. What's he got against Leonhart?"

"I'd be smart not to throw that name 'round here."

Squall smirked.

"Leonhart's a fuckin' dead man anyway."

The one soldier sighed, "Our Lady wants him dead cause he poses a threat to Galbadia. That's all we gotta know."

"Right." He sighed, "That's all we gotta know."

_So her men...don't know she's a sorceress? If word got out Rinoa's a sorceress, this could get a lot worse. _Squall mused.

Contemplating to kill them both, Squall debated against it. Instead he pulled out his rifle and hugged the ground, laying low. He moved to his left aiming his blaster into the distance.

_Here goes. _

Pulling the trigger, he hit a pillar that dislodged and crashed to the streets below. The soldiers were quick to take notice, perking up to the sound.

"What the fuck was that!?"

"It must've just fell."

"No man, that was a laser!"

"How could ya tell?"

"Did it not _sound _like one?" he retorted, "Estharians use that shit."

"What're ya doin'?" His partner sounded wary. "Don't go over there! We got orders!"

"I'ma just check it out. Stay here."

_Bingo. _

The soldier shook his head. "Make it quick." He shouted before turning around. "Holy shi-"

_Bang. _

Too bad those were his last words. Squall stepped over him, surveying the small opening. He crouched and shimmied through the tight crack.

Once inside, Squall spotted a concrete slab. "This should cover it up." Lifting it, his body's aches protested the weight, but he pushed it with all his might.

"Hey! What the fuck!?" He could hear the soldier from the outside screaming. Bullets riddled the entrance, firing rounds at a time.

Squall needed to act fast. He pulled and jerked at the slab, desperate, and kind of using it as a shield. He bit down on his lip, tasting blood as he used whatever strength he had left to push it into place.

The muffled gunfire and shouting sounded like echoes now. He felt his legs collapse under him, shrouded in darkness now that the entrance was covered.

He'd made it. He was _inside the palace. _

Squall gave himself a few moments before stumbling to his feet. He turned to what was once a hallway.

_Father...I'm here, and I'm gonna get you out._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN:** _WOW! Long time! I've been going through some CRAZY things in my life, which has prevented me from updating this story. This chapter ALONE took like a month to write. It was actually kind of difficult because I was going with a whole new approach that I wanted to experiment with.

Since January, I binge played all the Uncharted games and The Last Of Us. I think that was exactly what I needed to continue with this story as there is so much action from here on out it's insane. We are coming up to the last leg of the story as you can probably tell.

Having so much inspiration for the combat in Naughty Dog games, I wanted Squall to navigate the terrain and fight enemies while trying to get to the palace. We kind of see some elements of The Last of Us when he rummages through the kitchen to find a knife or when he's dealing with enemies like sneaking up to one or mercilessly shooting them.

Squall at this point is mentally disturbed by all the things that's happened so far to him. He only cares about getting to his father now, and he wont stop until he does. He doesn't even care about himself at this very moment. This is causing a problem with Selphie because she can already see the flags going up that Squall isn't acting rationally at all. On top of that, she's hoping he isn't dead.

Anyways, I think I needed a chappie like this one. Really needed one. You guys are all caught up to me now, so posting may take a bit longer, but I promise we will be done this story soon!

Also, after this, I'll be working on _Liberation_ (This story's sister fic explaining why Rinoa is doing what she's doing and how she got like this). I may be working on a bit of _Life in Plain Sight _as well, so be sure to check that out when the first chapter goes up.

Anyways, read and review! I answer all signed reviews!

Happy Reading! 3


	30. Phase XXIX: Reunions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the characters or places in this story. I do own all the OC's though.

* * *

><p><strong>Phase XXIX<strong>

**Reunions**

**Esthar City/ 5 Miles Away From Presidential Palace**

**03:33 hrs EST**

The hum of engines drew Selphie from her thoughts and fears. She jolted in her seat feeling the landing gear touching down below the steel floorboards. Taking in a deep inhale, her fingers gripped harder onto the weapon in hand. It felt foreign to her unlike the Nunchaku she usually carried around. It had been a while since she last used a gun, but she was confident in her shot.

She had to be.

"Ma'am." Someone called her as they approached. "Ready?"

Selphie dealt him a skeptical look and stood, "You know English?"

"Ve do. Part of training, Ma'am."

"Huh." She scoffed, hands to her hips and turning around to see all her men preparing themselves for battle. "Could'a told me that before."

"I am Zalman. I vill be ezcorting Zelvie to palace." He saluted.

"Okay, then." She replied stepping past him and into the centre of the hover. "Listen up." Her whole squad stood at attention for her first order. "We're landing approximately 5 miles within the palace's perimeter. This means the area is swarming with galbadian baddies. Me n' Zalman here'll be gunnin' it for the palace. Cover us and shoot to kill anything in black or blue. Got it?"

"Hah!" they shouted in unison.

Selphie looked to Zalman perplexed. The estharian waved her off, "An ethzari custom."

She nodded, "Okay..."

The back hatch of the hover lowered. As Selphie watched the ramp hit gravel, her heart pounded into her ears knowing what came next.

_Please be okay._

* * *

><p>This time he found himself lying on his side. Groggily, his eyes tried to make sense of his surroundings again. Rubble, glass...nothing had changed. He was still in what could very well be his grave.<p>

"Hey! He's up!"

And maybe someone else's.

_Least I don't have to die alone. _

A pair of hands pushed him onto his back, he hoped these were the angels taking him out of his misery. He couldn't take much more of the shooting pains in his leg, knowing these weren't his usual cramps. Everything hurt, he was hungry, and very cold.

Kiros came into his line of sight with relief washing over his features. He sighed and brushed dark strands away from Laguna's face that had crusted over with blood.

"W-where are we?"

"Wards says 'we're pretty much under a pancake.'" Kiros translated.

Laguna snorted, but regretted it immediately when his chest tightened and he coughed. His windpipe felt like it was coated in sandpaper and then beaten to a bloody pulp. "W-why am I lyin' like this?"

"What? On your side?" Kiros raised a brow, "Man, you actually sleep like a baby. You're thumb was in your mouth, and it was actually kinda cute."

"HA-HA." Laguna emphasized with a middle finger for good measure.

Kiros turned to Ward, "Least he still has a sense of humour. Good sign I think." The larger man grunted in agreement.

Despite the pain, Laguna propped himself up onto his elbows, taking in the damage around them. He hung his head when reality set in and the likelihood of them getting out of this mess alive was slim. "Shit."

"Shit's right." Kiros stood, "We need a plan."

"Think anythin' here still works?" Laguna asked, "Like a telephone or a computer?"

"From a blast like that? Slim chance, man."

"Well, I sure as hell wont die down here!" Laguna snapped, using whatever energy he had left to attempt to get to his feet. The galbadian stumbled forward, landing on his hands. His leg reminded him that it was going to be of no use to him.

"Fuckin'...leg."

Kiros grabbed his arm, lifting the president up, and assiting him as a human crutch. "Easy there. Hang on. There. You good?"

Laguna tightened his grip on Kiros' robe and nodded, "Ward, take point. If anyone's still in here that doesn't look like a friend or survivor, kill 'em."

Ward grunted, unsheathed his spear, and fell a few steps behind them.

* * *

><p>A small tablet that illuminated blue light formed a 3d map of their surroundings just like the one back at base. Zalman walked a few paces ahead acting as their navigator to locate the missing soldier.<p>

The city was eerily silent for a battle zone. Unease hung in the air between the squad, guns drawn for any surprises.

Selphie was just a few steps behind him, body tense, eyes scattering in all directions. In the back of her mind, she was searching for any indication that Squall had come by this alleyway. No footprints, no discarded items, nothing. No sign of him here.

Luckily she had on her helmet to hide the frantic look in her eyes and panic creeping into her composure.

Their last conversation played over and over again. The fight they had could very well be the last thing she said to him. _Oh god. What if he died thinking I hate him? I never got to tell him everything. He won't know that I was just mad._

_Stop. Just stop thinking like this. He's alive. He'll be okay. When you see him you can give him a good smack. __Yeah, a real good right hook to the face._

_BANG!_

Selphie snapped out of her thoughts watching the rest of her squad jump into position. _Gunshots! T-those were really close!_

Four men stepped forward as a protective guard for Selphie and Zalman. She jerked her head towards him, while drawing her blaster from it's holster.

Zalman shook his head dismissively. "Give vem order to inveztigate."

"But shouldn't we be fighting, too?"

Again, Zalman brushed it off. "Zelvie need to track viz zoldier down. Vat iz her mizzion. Vey are here to aid her until ve complete. Vey act on her orderz."

Hesitantly, Selphie turned to her crew, and took in a deep breath. "You four, search the area. The rest of you come with us."

The group broke off, leaving Selphie to question whether or not that was such a good idea. She tried to shake it off by focusing on what they had to do. "We almost there?"

He read the model again taking a minute to read over the call outs of identification numbers. More green markers that had stopped moving, which only meant they had lost more men in the last few hours. He located the specific one and began to walk faster ignoring Selphie's questions. He turned a corner and a few more before he picked up speed.

Gunshots went off, beams of light, crumbling structures behind them. Dust carried in the air. The battle had started, which was the massive diversion they needed in order to locate Squall.

Selphie could hear her pulse, feel her temples pounding at the same rhythm as her heart. Doubt and desperation grew more prominent the closer they got. She prayed she could hear his voice, prayed that she could feel his hand in hers again. Hoping beyond hope that this was all some kind of mix up, and Squall would be in that location.

Zalman stopped abruptly. "Here it is."

"What!?" Selphie cried breathlessly. In front of her was another alley. This one narrow and riddled with garbage and debris. She dared to step further, utterly confused. "This...this _can't _be it! There's _nothing_ here!"

Zalman ignored her emotional outburst, his helmet turning in another direction. He started for a dismembered home, climbing over half a wall and landed in the living room.

"Azk zem to raise zer weaponz." He told her.

"Raise your weapons." Her men did so.

Furniture had upturned, the floor above had caved into the centre of the space. The home had been ransacked.

"Ma'am! Here!"

Selphie jerked her head in the direction of the one that called her. The first thing she saw was alot of red. Red staining the cracked concrete of the wall and the carpet on the floor.

Selphie felt something roll into her boot, she leaned down curiously and picked it up. His helmet. It still smelt like sweat and blood on the inside.

"No..." She whispered, "_No_."

"Zelvie." Zalman's voice echoed from the nearby kitchen.

She inwardly refused to walk over there and see what he had found. Selphie wasn't sure if she could take it.

_This can't be happening again. _

The scared little girl in her wanted to crawl up into a ball and hide. The SeeD in her told her to grow a pair and suck it up. They swore to a life of certain death in battle the moment they signed up for SeeD. This was them paying that price. With fighting came battles, war, injuries, and even death.

_Not Squall. Not him!_

Selphie took in a series of deep breaths, calming the rattling nerves in her stomach. The little girl would have to wait her turn. The SeeD had to step in this time like she did every time. She slowly made her way into the kitchen, ignoring the stares from the others left out in the living area.

"Y-yes?"

It was almost just as bad as she thought. If not worse.

Ransacked kicthen, just like the rest of the house. Check.

Blood. Check.

A lot more of it. Check.

Body? None.

Zalman knelt down next to the fridge examining the items littering the floor.

Selphie could see trails of bloodied finger prints all over its stainless steel door. The mess all over the kitchen tile.

Even the stoic Zalman was surprised when he picked up a small knife covered in a russet liquid. "Blood. Zer iz bullet here. Cloth here."

Selphie joined him on the floor. "Lemme see that." She plucked the bullet from between his fingers. It came from a rifle, mid length, gold and red. She stared at it for what felt like forever slowly piecing together what had happened here.

_He got shot. Played surgeon on himself...but..._

"Where did he go?" Selphie asked herself more than Zalman.

The estharian stood. "Ze palace."

* * *

><p>"I-I'm s-sure of it! ARRRGH!"<p>

The blade sunk into the soldier's chest as he was pressed and elevated against the wall. Pain erupted, and his vision became black at the edges and blurred in the middle. The blade was long enough to pin him to the wall when his boss let him go.

Commander Almasy sighed, having had enough of torturing him. He turned to all the eyes watching after that little 'show'.

"What the fuck are ya standin' around gwackin' for!?" He snapped, face red and veins popping. "Make yourselves useful and tighten our hold on the palace, damn it!" His soldier's scattered leaving him with two of the higher ups awaiting his attention. Seifer slammed his hands onto the table between them, which had a map marked with all areas they obtained.

"I got word that Leonhart was spotted in the city, Sir."

Seifer's eyes widened, "How?"

"Sir- From one of my-" Seifer reached over the table grabbing blue kevlar.

"How do you know it was him!?"

"H-he's carrying a b-b-blue gunblade, sir!"

Seifer went quiet, patting the soldier's uniform down neatly before backing away. He turned and rubbed his face. Rinoa wasn't going to like this. She believed Leonhart to be in FH all this time, and now he was here. For all Seifer knew he was the one who got into the palace.

"Find him." Seifer quipped, "Bring him to me. I'll deal with that asshole myself. I'll bring his head to the sorceress as an example of what happens to those who defy her rule."

Fear struck deep within the soldiers as they saluted in agreement before marching out of the room.

Seifer's eyes cast out to the ruined city and laughed, harder than he had in weeks.

* * *

><p>He growled to the pain in his knee when he came down hard onto it after another fall. Wobbly arms pressed into the broken tile trying to pick himself up again. His head was still spinning, his body was still aching, and the whole hallway was pitch black.<p>

Squall pressed his back against the wall again, gathering his bearings clutching his gun. He didn't know how many more of Seifer's goons were lurking around in the shadows. Let alone if they were even in here yet.

Fed up with the darkness, he shuffled around in the pods in his suit, trying to find anything flammable. Feeling around and shuffling the items, he pulled out something that felt like a booklet.

_Bingo. _

He wasn't sure what the hell it even was, but that didn't matter at the moment. All he needed was light. Closing his eyes and taking in a single steady breath, Squall drew into himself. He needed enough strength, finding it in his mind to ignite the paper.

His exhale came out hot, and when he opened his eyes, a small flame torched it from the palm of his hand. The area around him became clear, just a few knocked over pillars and motifs and an uneven floor under his feet. This time Squall paced himself, taking care not to overexert his already weary muscles.

"Laguna...where are you?"

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until they had found the dead man lying on the ground with a severed hand and a gunshot to the head.<p>

"What could've done this?" She asked Zalman in shock.

"Zoldier." He replied, turning the galbadian's body over with his boot.

"One of our guys?"

If not for his helmet, Selphie would be able to see the grin growing wider on Zalman's face. "Come, ve close."

Selphie hopped up and ran after the estharian who booked it straight to the fallen structure. With every inch of ground they covered, she became more hopeful now.

"Zalman! Zalman!" She called after him, his longer legs widening the space between them, "Was it him?"

Zalman stopped, and Selphie was relieved to finally catch up to him. "Was it Squa- holy shit!"

Zalman stood frozen.

"Move an inch, I'll blow his brains out." The galbadian soldier warned. "We got this area on lockdown. No place to go but hell fer ya two, got it?"

"Up yours!" Selphie snapped, going for her blaster from its holster.

"Ah, ah, ah..." The gun in his hand pointed at her now.

Selphie froze midway.

The galbadian came forward, closer to her shorter frame. His hand roughly grabbing her helmet, "Y'know, ya fill out that uniform nicely, woman."

Selphie closed her eyes, his words dripping with lust, "Let's say ya 'n I make a deal. Ya live if ya do exactly as I say."

"No deal." She replied.

_Click. _

Her heart picked up the pace, eyeing the handgun pressed against her helmet. From this close, it was a direct hit to the brain for her if she didn't act quickly. She still had her integrity and pride left, and there was no way she was sleeping with this dirty bag.

"Stupid _move_." He taunted, another click, he was stroking that trigger gingerly.

"Fuck you." She snarled, and when he backed up slightly in surprise, Selphie jumped into action. Her knee hit him right in the balls, body twisting to get to her gun. Another gunshot rang out, but Selphie was focused on him. As he came out of his stun, her enemy jerked up but was met the butt of her blaster right in the face. It dented his helmet, breaking his nose, and a stream of blood shot out. He doubled over in agony, Selphie kicked his ribs a few times for good measure before she finally looked up.

Zalman was on the ground bleeding out.

"Oh my hyne!' She cried, "Zalman, no!"

Dropping to her knees, she carefully picked up the man. "Zalman, speak to me, say something!"

He moved, a good sign.

"You're gonna be okay, got it!?" Selphie said hurriedly, "We're gonna get you outta here."

The estharian coughed, pressing her away. All he did was point in another direction and nodded.

She took the hint. The palace was just a few streets away now. When Selphie looked back at him it was too late. The small women grabbed his navigator and slowly stood, leaving Zalman in the spot he fell.

"I a-ain't done with ya bitch..." she heard the galbadian say. Nonchalantly, Selphie just pointed and shot.

The man went down lifeless, leaving Selphie to make her way towards the palace.

* * *

><p>"Laguna! C'mon, man. Where're you taking us?" Kiros complained.<p>

"I know it's down these stairs here." Laguna replied.

"You said the same thing about that hallway, about the elevators, which are broken by the way, and that room!"

"..."

"See!?" Kiros exclaimed, "Even Ward agrees with me!"

Laguna limped down the steps, careful not to slip on any gravel or rocks. "Always a smartass." he muttered. "C'mon! It's just a little farther, I just know it!"

"Just _know_ it?" Kiros sighed. He shouldn't have let Laguna go when he insisted he could walk himself. "What're you going on? An internal map?"

"Memory." Laguna quipped.

Kiros scoffed glancing at the larger man, "_Memory_. Oh Hyne, we're all dead."

Laguna ignored them by the time he got to the bottom. "Ah shit."

"What? What's wrong?" Kiros asked, finding Laguna trying to pry open an automatic door with his hands. Even with a silver of an opening, the metal slab would not budge.

Laguna growled, "Come and help me!"

Ward walked up using one hand, he opened the door in a swift movement. Kiros and Laguna exchanged bewildered looks.

"I could'a done that." Laguna waved him off. "Easy peasy."

Kiros blinked, "You either hit your head harder than I thought or old age is catchin' up to you, man." He pat the president on the back before following Ward through the doorway into the next hall.

"I'm not _that_ old!"

* * *

><p>Muffled voices alerted Squall from his thoughts. Hiding himself around another corner, he could hear their words grow clearer. Taking his makeshift torch, he tossed it into the middle of the hallway. Just as expected, their attention went towards the light.<p>

"The hell was that!?" Someone whispered.

Squall already had his finger on the trigger of his gun, ready for the poor bastard investigate. Footsteps echoed louder and louder until Squall knew they were within a close proximity.

"What the f-"

Squall sprang out, grabbing the taller robed man and putting him into a headlock. The blaster pressed against his head, ready to fire if he pulled something stupid.

"Hey!" Squall's head snapped up to that. "L-let 'em go!"

He felt something large land next to him, making the floorboards under him shake. Next thing he knew, he was being lifted, which prompted him to drop the robed figure. His legs kicked as he squirmed from the grasp of this thing that had a strong hold onto his shirt.

His gun went off near the creature's head, unlikely hitting anything with such a blind shot. It moved again, swinging him with enough momentum to send Squall right into opposite wall. His body limply fell to the ground, his jaw slamming hard against it. Squall couldn't see again, at least clearly anyway. He felt hands turn his body over while grimacing at the pain in his side. "Hold on!" Someone shouted.

"Holy shit." The voice said again. "Gimme that light!"

Squall could see their faces now. Two faces he thought he'd never see again. He couldn't speak, couldn't find the words. Either from the damage his body had sustained or out of pure shock, Squall didn't know.

His father grabbed his face, Squall tried to concentrate on it. "Squall!"

Panting, his hand latched onto Laguna's shoulder. "...La..La...guna?"

Without hesitation, he felt the force of Laguna's body pull him into a tight embrace. Despite the complaints Squall's internals protested, he wrapped his arms around his father.

_I found him. _Squall internally smiled, relief washing over his tired frame.

"Are you hurt, kid?" Laguna asked him softly, pulling away and holding his head for further examination. His green eyes held so much concern. The same concern a father would have for his son. Those short few seconds meant a lot more than Squall realized. His heart grew warm, feeling a strange acceptance that he never felt before.

"Just some scratches." Squall replied breathlessly.

"With an attack like that? I'm surprised Ward didn't break every bone in your body!" Kiros joked, eyeing the large man. Ward just shrugged. "Almost killed the both of us."

"Y-yeah. Sorry 'bout that."

Laguna smiled, his eyes shimmered in the dim lighting. "I thought you were dead."

"Same here."

His father gulped, "I'm so sorry. For everything. Squall, I mean it I-"

Squall pat him on the back, "Look, I'm the one who should be apologizing, but right now, we need to get the hell outta here."

"What's goin' on?" Kiros asked him.

Squall readjusted himself after Laguna let him go, "Galbadians. They're all over the place. We need to get to Quistis."

"Quistis? She's still alive?" Laguna asked. "Where the hell-"

"I'll explain later." Squall managed to stand, "First, we gotta ge-."

BANG!

* * *

><p>This was it.<p>

Selphie was just across the street from the palace now. Only problem? The place was swarming with galbadians now, two maybe three times more of them. They were easily outnumbered.

"What happened here?" She whispered.

"Ma'am." She perked up to the sound of one of her only soldier's left running up beside her.

"Ve are ready."

"Okay." She nodded, "Give it here."

He passed her a detonator.

"Three. Two. One!"

The explosives they had set up around the palace perimeter went off one by one. Galbadians were freaking out trying to make sense of what was going on. Dust filled the air, rattling the debris, decorative motifs, and glass shards.

Selphie and her squad dropped to the ground, feeling it shake from under them. Gunfire riddled the street just after the fifth explosive went off. Selphie sprang to her feet, using a parked hovercraft as cover. Her soldier shot at their enemies taking the left side, while she took the right. Beams of light and gunfire shot through the air destroying anything in their path.

Men were falling one by one.

* * *

><p>"Ma'am!"<p>

Quistis strolled over to the urgent cry of one of the techs. "What is it?"

"Ve got a call from mizz Tilmitt."

Quistis had a bad feeling about this. "Put her on."

"Quisty!" Gunfire and explosives were prominent in the background, drowning out Selphie's voice.

"Selphie! What's going on!?" She shouted.

"We made it to the palace! We need back up now! We're down to me n'...what's your name? Leko? Leko here!"

Quistis rolled her eyes, before turning to dispatch, "Send out four more Squads. Get them the fastest hovers we have." She went back to Selphie's call, "Done. You need to get out of there, you hear me?"

Silence for a few beats.

"Selphie! Do you copy!? _Sel_-"

"Yeah, yeah. I hear you crystal clear."

Quistis straightened up, "Good. I want you to retreat."

"Can't do that." Selphie replied in an unusually dark tone.

"What!?"

"I think Squall is in the palace! We gotta get him outta there!"

"No-Selphie. Don-"

The line went dead.

* * *

><p>Squall coughed, daring to lift his head. He could see the sky, feel the coolness in the air again, hear rounds of gunfire. "What the hell?"<p>

"We'll that was easy I guess." Laguna groaned, trying to get up. He heard his son swear, forcing him back down to the earth.

"You crazy!?" He snapped at his father, "This is a battlefield! You're the president! When they find out you're alive, we're all done for!"

Laguna cowered, "Okay... I'll be good. _Promise_."

Another blast went off, but this time it abruptly put an end to the relentless gunfire.

They waited for what felt like hours, silently watching the battlefield before them. Squall kept his arm over his father's back, making sure the older man didn't blow their cover.

Everything was silent now.

* * *

><p>"RUN!" Leko yelled, darting further into the battle zone.<p>

"What!?" Selphie screamed. She quickly surveyed the area, tons of bodies on the ground, none moving...she hoped.

As they approached, they could see that the last blast opened up part of the structure. Her pace slowed down, gun drawn. She could see the inside of the foyer on the ground floor now. After sidestepping debris, navigating around slabs, upturned street furniture and hovercrafts, she made it.

* * *

><p>Squall could hear footfalls getting closer, his body tensed, and grabbed his gun next to him.<p>

"W-what are ya doin', son?" Laguna watched Squall pry himself off the ground.

"Stay down." His eyes could see two silhoettes approaching against the glare of the rising sun. His blaster was pointed at the smaller one, ready to take them out.

"Hold on." Laguna protested in a harsh whisper, "What if they're on our side?"

"What if they're not?" Squall countered.

"Look what I'm sayin' is, don't get so trigger happy."

"_Trigger_ happy?" Squall scowled, "You have no idea what I-"

"Gimme that!" Laguna grabbed the gun.

"What the f-" Squall wrestled it out of his father's grip. He felt Laguna nudge his finger, pressing it down until he accidentally set it off.

"What the hell was that?" Selphie nearly jumped out of her skin to a laser nearly blowing her head off. She panted, scrambling to find cover. She looked to Leko, who just stood out in the open with his hands raised over his head. He spoke in fluent Estharian, but she could tell that he was trying to reason with the enemy.

_Wait a sec...if they got into the palace with an estharian weapon..._

"Leko! Wait!" Selphie cried out, breaking her cover and ventured closer to the wreckage.

Squall detangled himself from his father and stood. The smaller of the two came forward, hands in front of them cautiously. When they were just several feet away, they stopped.

"Squall?"

He recognized the voice now. "...Selphie?"

She pressed something on her helmet to removing it. Sweat on her brow and hair sticking to her face, Selphie's green eyes sparkled in the dawn's sunlight.

Squall let out a sigh of relief. "Thank Hyn- ahhh!" Her small fist struck him hard across the left cheek, leaving Squall to shake off the surprise.

"The hell was that for?" He snapped, but she had already moved onto the man standing next to him now.

"Sir Laguna!" She practically jumped him into a bear hug.

_Oh god._

_"_Uhhh. Selphie!" Laguna's tone sounded forced, "How's it goin'?"

"Oh _man_! We were_ so_ worried! We came all this way thinking you were dead! I'm _so_ glad you're okay, Sir Laguna!" She wailed.

Squall just watched on, rubbing his now swollen cheek. "Okay, okay! Enough!"

Kiros and Ward emerged from their hiding spots greeting their saviours. Selphie gave them a little excited wave. "Hi guys!"

"Selphie, what're you doing here?" Squall asked after breaking her embrace with his father.

She narrowed her eyes and frowned, "Isn't it obvious? To get your ass outta here!"

Squall searched behind her only finding one guy in her party. "How?"

The humming of engines grew louder as they approached announcing their arrival. Selphie beamed up at him with a knowing smirk, "Those guys."

Squall just rolled his eyes, following the small girl out of the ruins. "Whatever."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Back at it again! WHOO! I honestly didn't think I'd finish this chapter today! Laguna and Squall are together again! Selphie isn't too pleased with Squall despite how worried she was about him. What did Squall expect? Some kind of special home coming? No. He deserved that punch!

I really enjoyed the bantering between some of the characters especially Kiros, Ward, and Laguna. I really am excited for more Squall and Laguna scenes as I find the game doesn't really give us that many. Squall was a jerk to Laguna for all of their relationship up until this point, to see him act slightly differently to his ol man would be kind of cool. With Squall, I love using other characters as his foil. I find his relationship with Selphie is sometimes humorous as they sometimes just get themselves into trouble and just adds humour to an otherwise dark gritty story. If you can call it that, haha.

As for Seifer, he sounded like a lunatic! I think the sorceress knight thing is getting to his head now.

Anyways! Thanks for the reviews. I read and reply to all signed reviews, so be sure to leave me some! Guest reviews are always welcome, too. I love to hear what you guys have to say about the story!

Happy reading!


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